Flora and Fauna
by InstantNosebleed
Summary: The beginning of the complex relationship between Catwoman and Poison Ivy. Warning F/F.
1. First Glance

_**Disclaimer: **_**I do not own any part of Batman.**

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><p><strong>Explanation:<strong> I will warn you, this will be somewhat of an AU in the beginning (retcon). But it will be weaved into the comic universe later on.

_**Changes;**_ Pamela is leaning towards Ivy's personality.

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><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

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><p>Every bit of clothing stuck to my sweaty skin, the sun being in the center of the sky only intensified the blazing heat. Today was a muggy summer day and I sat on the porch under the minute amount of shade. My parents? They were off in Bora-Bora or Tahiti or one of those expensive places on a week vacation. Me, I was stuck in New York looking over a garage sale. They weren't horrible parents; they knew I hated beaches and that I hated flying even more. So here I was selling off our old unused things. It was a terrible habit of my dad's, he would buy gadgets and the like that we never really had a need for. Sighing I ran a hand through my short boyish hair cut.<p>

A few people walked past the lawn looking half interested, most however ignored it completely. Before anything could start melting I trudged across the lawn to pack everything up and give it to the Salvation Army. After two trips back into the un-air conditioned house I was glistening with sweat, I wiped it away with my arm. _God I hate summer. _Showing this much skin made me uncomfortable, but I couldn't survive more material. The gray shorts I wore hung low past my knees and the tank top made me self conscious. It showed off my curves, or lack thereof. Grass crunched loudly beneath me as I strode across the lawn, a flash of red caught my attention.

Wavy crimson hair poured over her shoulders as she bent over looking at my old game collection. From where I stood she couldn't see me, just the sight of her made it hard to breathe. It was my next door neighbor; I had seen her on a few occasions; at school, the mall, public places. But I had rarely seen her around the neighborhood, as weird as that sounded. The short jean skirt she wore nicely accentuated the curves of her body. Feeling my throat dry up I shook my head in an attempt to empty it of wandering thoughts._ What was I thinking?_

Of course that didn't work, my eyes curiously trailed every inch of smooth skin, from her flip flops up to the hem of that damn skirt. In her own thoughts the redhead placed strands of hair behind her ear, brown eyes bright as she smiled. Calling her pretty was an understatement. Delicate freckles decorated her cheekbones; barely distinguishable from the rest of her skin, when she blinked I noticed her alluring red lashes. We were alone and all my thoughts suddenly revolved around her. _I don't even know her name; I've never talked to her in my life. _And here I was ogling her, _like I have the right to. _

A frown worked its way onto my face when I thought of all the men that had probably fantasized about having their dirty hands on her. My cavities ached as I crunched down on the lollipop in my mouth; the girl straightened up and turned around at the sound.

"Anything you looking for in particular?" I drawled trying to sound unfazed by her presence. It was all lies. She stood at the same height as me, her smile turned a little anxious, _damn it, _I must have been scowling.

"I was just looking for a new game," her voice airy, pretty, she motioned to my games.

"Not such a good place for new games." _Why am I being such an ass?_

"Well yeah," she laughed lightly, "I meant something I've never played. How much is that one?" She pointed to my old Sonic the Hedgehog games, _wait why did I put you guys in there?_ Besides that game sat a few shooters, Halo being the one that stuck out the most.

"You sure you don't want something more like these?" I asked, then again she didn't seem like a girl who was into violent games. The redhead shook her head,

"That one is the one I want," she smiled pointing at Sonic, I shrugged my shoulders and picked it up. "How much is it?"

"Ten dollars," I handed it to her after she gave me the cash. I looked back up at her once I had put the bills into my pockets, "I hope you like it," I said creatively. Again she smiled making my heart flutter a bit,

"Thank you," she said before making her way back to her house. _I forgot to find out what her name was. _Sticky with sweat I lifted the heavy box up into my arms and headed inside for the final time.

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><p><em>A week later<em>

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><p>The golden sun was barely peeking over the horizon when I woke to someone lightly knocking on the front door. Half awake I nearly stumbled down the stairs,<p>

"What the hell?" I grumbled rubbing my eyes. _Who could that be? _Again a faint knock sounded, "Do you know what time it is?" I growled as I unlocked the door. Vision still a bit blurry from sleep I opened the door wide, "It's fucking four-thirty in the-." My tongue swelled and became useless when from the steps the redhead looked up at me with her desperate brown eyes, shivering.

"I'm sorry," she let out weakly, "I forgot my keys and my parents are out working."

_So we have the same we're-barely-home parents? _I noticed the purple sweater she wore was thin when she pulled it tighter around herself. "Can I come in?" For a second I wondered what she had been out doing, she didn't look like the partying type; _it's none of my business. _Nodding I stepped aside not meaning to inhale when she passed me, the light scent of flowers shadowed her.

"You can stay here until they get back," I murmured, she turned away from me, blush stealing her cheeks. _What? _It was that moment when I remembered I was still only in my sports bra and pajama bottoms.

Naturally I crossed my arms motioning to the stairs with my head,

"My room is up there." _God how could I have forgotten what I went to sleep in? _Mentally cursing at myself I followed her upstairs at a safe distance, "It's the room on your left." Once we were inside my room I flicked the light switch on and began to nonchalantly hide my dirty laundry. Swiftly I pulled a shirt over my head and turned to face her. The girl sat perfectly on my bed, **my **bed, when her eyes found mine I had to remember how to speak.

"You should stay in here; it's warmer than the other rooms."

"Thanks," she breathed taking off her shoes, "What's your name?"

"Selina." A breathtaking smile crossed her lips,

"That's a pretty name." Cheeks burning and heart racing I pretended to look out the window, my gaze again met hers and she began to speak, "I'm Ivy."

"Well, I'll be downstairs if you need anything," I said lamely as I turned the door knob.

"Alright, night Selina," Ivy's words buzzed in my ears causing a smile to curl my lips. Down in the living room I flopped onto the couch, happy in the fact my parents weren't home.

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><p>It was two in the afternoon when Ivy sleepily made her way down the stairs. Red hair curled around her face cutely as she yawned and stretched her arms. I sat in the kitchen eating a bowl of cereal when she walked in and sat down,<p>

"Morning."

"I should get home," sunlight weaved into her fiery locks as she looked out the window, "What time is it?" I pointed to the clock on the wall and Ivy gasped standing up straight, "I have to go." Words bubbled in my throat, 'you could stay' being the sentence in mind.

Still I remained silent and followed her to the door,

"Bye," I said as she stepped out onto the oven called the porch. _How had it been so cold last night if it is so hot now?_

"I'll see you later," Ivy said over her shoulder making warmth stir in my chest. I hoped she was right.

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><p><em><strong>AN; **_I know that Poison Ivy and Catwoman hate each other 95% of the time and help each other out the other 5%, but hate and love are very similar. I don't write many FF stories so meaningful reviews are nice to get.


	2. Neighbors

_**Disclaimer:**_**I do not own any part of Batman. **

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><p><em><strong>Selina POV<strong>_

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><p>As soon as I made my way down the stairs chaos erupted in my room, I glared up at the ceiling when I reached the kitchen. I had a few friends over, but they obviously had forgotten my room wasn't a bounce house. Sighing I pinched the bridge of my nose. <em>And they wonder why my dad never lets them in the house? <em>Heart fluttering at the familiar knock I went to the door before I could stop myself. The redhead stood smiling shifting her weight from one foot to the other, a measuring cup in her hand.

"Could I borrow some sugar?" I simply nodded. _Thank god she hadn't asked 'Could I get some sugar?' my mind would've exploded. _Still the way her chocolate eyes were on me had my heart jumping up into my throat.

"Come in," _do we even have sugar? _Ivy began to close the door behind her when someone suddenly burst through pushing both of us into the wall as they noisily made their way inside. Pinned between the wall and her soft body I could hardly breathe when we made contact. Body burning with forsaken sensations I tried to dismiss the feel of her backside pressing up against me. It was all in vain, at the thought of ignoring her presence all my nerves betrayed me, instead honing in on Ivy. _God, _I breathed my head falling back onto the wall as I fought the urge to pull her hips to mine. _What kind of asshole slams a door into a girl? _I would have to thank them after biting their head off, for giving me an opportunity to feel her that wouldn't leave me feeling guilty.

"Are you alright?" Body flushed I could hardly form the words, I forced my eager tail to coil tight around my thigh, shocked she nodded and pushed the door away. I stepped away from her running my eyes over her, thankfully she wasn't hurt. "I'm sorry about that," I said honestly, trying to hide my boiling irritation from her. Before I knew it I was running up the stairs, in a second I swung my bedroom door open, all three pairs of eyes on me in an instant.

"Which one of you dickheads just came in?" I growled. Each of the teenage boys paled freezing in their play fighting, the blond, Kenny's eyes lowered at my words. Arms crossed I stood in front of him, practically seething,

"Kyles," the other two pleaded but I ignored them.

"You just slammed the door into my neighbor," I hissed. "Don't think apologizing is an option. Get your ass downstairs."

I shadowed him as he trudged, defeated, down the stairs; her fiery hair again caught my attention. Ivy stood at the kitchen counter by the window, as she poured sugar into the measuring cup. The boy slightly nudged my side with his elbow,

"You didn't say your neighbor was hot," he whispered, Kenny grew silent when I glared up at him. The redhead turned, "I'm sorry for opening the door on you," the blond said honestly. _Not the best apology but- _Ivy smiled,

"Don't let it happen again. I don't know what she would do," she motioned to me, amusement lit her brown eyes. _It would do. _

Soon my two other friends were peering into the kitchen from the stairs, trying to figure out what the commotion was. Sly smiles and smirks curled their lips as they looked Ivy up and down, their eyes connected with mine and in an instant my cheeks were on fire. _They know. _Unlike my parents my friends were not completely oblivious to my sexual orientation, I didn't necessarily broadcast it for the world, but I wasn't exactly hiding it. Thankfully a voice halted the possible questions buzzing in their brains.

"Selina, what are those damn free riders doing in my house?" my dad's voice boomed from the second floor. Of course he didn't really care about their moocher habits- he was bothered because there had been **boys **in my room. Both my parents thought I was going to get pregnant the moment my bedroom door closed, I sighed. It was disheartening. Even with the casual hints I gave them they still thought I was as straight as an arrow. Sometimes I wondered if they were blind. A smirk curled on my lips as my dad forced the three of them out; _you've got the wrong gender. If I want to be in bed with anyone it's the girl standing next to me._

"Thanks," she said trying to hold back her laughter as she held the full measuring cup, "Are your friends always like that?" I nodded relaxing against the wall,

"Pretty much," a smile dominated my face when I noticed how comfortable the redhead looked in my presence. "So what's all that sugar for anyways?" A hint of blush rose to her cheeks,

"I'm making cookies for someone." In the back of my mind I had to fight the urge to frown, _of course there would be a boy. Why wouldn't there be? Ivy is pretty- gorgeous and she's nice. It's not like I have any chance at grabbing her attention anyway. _

Even with all that in mind, the pounding of my heart deepened painfully at the disappointment. A dark haired man strolled into the kitchen, stopping short when his dark eyes landed on the redhead.

"Who's this?" My dad asked gesturing to Ivy, before I could answer for her she confidently shook his hand,

"I'm Ivy Isley, I live next door."

Loosening his tie he went to grab a glass from the cabinet,

"You're our neighbor? I think I would've remembered a girl as pretty as you." _That's what I thought. _

"I moved in a few years ago, for high school." He simply nodded sipping the cold water he had poured as he leaned against the kitchen counter. My dad was tall enough to be considered lanky, but muscular enough to have a slight build. Black eyes connecting with mine he spoke,

"So you know Selina from school then?" I tuned out of their small chitchat, but I still noticed the way her full lips moved as she spoke, the way her brown eyes always glanced between me and my dad making my heart speed.

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><p><em><strong>Ivy POV<strong>_

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><p>The weight of her jade eyes was on me as I spoke; whenever I looked back at Selina a hint of fascination lit her gaze. The way she was looking at me made my tongue swell around my words, something about the girl's presence was distracting me. <em>What does her mom look like? <em>The resemblance between Selina and her dad was subtle, she shared his mannerisms, they both had jet black hair and olive toned skin. Still I couldn't stop imagining how Selina resembled her mom, did she have the same magnetic green eyes? Glancing back at her soft features, my eyes covered her high cheekbones, straight nose and dark brows. Suddenly her dad's voice brought me out of my thoughts.

"So you know Selina from school then?" _I wish I did. _Honestly for three years of attending the same school I never had the chance to talk to her, not like I knew what exactly I would've said. Most of my friends consisted of people from the AP Botany class, the shy, reserved types. They were fine for casual conversations and studying, but not one of them I felt could fit into my home life, or feel comfortable around me as a person and not a student. With her circle of rough looking guy friends the dark haired girl personified intimidation, but now she felt much warmer, more accessible.

"No," I said, "I met her at the garage sale."

"How did that go by the way?" he asked his daughter, sipping more water.

"You know how it went dad," Selina said cheekily, "we barely made over 20 dollars."

The tall man's black eyes glittered with amusement,

"That's what you get when you try to sell off all my stuff." Feeling a little out of place I stepped towards the door,

"Well, I should go," I turned back to her as my fingers curled around the knob my hands a bit sweaty, "I have cookies to make."

Back at my own door I tried the door and it didn't budge, _can't there be one day where the lock doesn't jam or I remember my keys? _Sighing I placed the measuring cup on the doorstep, before I could stop myself and call a lock person I was crossing Selina's lawn. The green eyed girl didn't seem shocked that I was back at her door, _great she must think I'm some kind of idiot._

"Are your parents home?" Selina stepped onto the humid porch closing her front door behind her; I shook my head as she followed me back. "Are any of your windows open?" _Why does that matter?_

"My bedroom window –yeah, but it's on the second floor," I said slowly, slightly confused.

Before I could ask what she was going to do, Selina scaled the side of my house with ease, slipping into my room. Mouth hanging open I simply blinked, running my hand through my hair I was at a loss for words.

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><p><em><strong>Selina POV<strong>_

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><p>The scent of lavender and lilacs enveloped me as soon as my feet met the carpet, small potted plants sat by the window. Thick textbooks, plays and novels were neatly stacked on the side of her desk. Posters and snapshots of rain forests dominated her plain walls, decorating them beautifully.<p>

"Did she go to all these places?" I whispered to myself in disbelief, lifting the pictures to read the names at the edges. A range of countries labeled the photographs; Cameroon, Vietnam, Peru, Java and Panama. The redhead's room was quaint, neatly organized and let in a lot of sunlight. I laughed lightly as I made my way down the stairs, _we are complete opposites. _The door wasn't locked, I pulled at the knob but it didn't move. _It's jammed. _Using all my strength, with a quick twist and pull the front door swung open and Ivy came in wide- eyed.

"How- how did you do that?" the redhead asked incredulously.

"When I was younger I'd sneak out a lot, so my parents would lock me out as punishment," a smile burned on my lips before I could stop it. "It comes with a lot of practice." How I had learned to unlock doors and why I had the ability to scale 20 feet of building with no real grip were two different things entirely. And at that moment I kept the latter a secret from everyone outside of my family, I didn't want to have to move again. Not when I'd have someone to miss. "Later then," I said coolly walking backwards then turning as I walked back to my house.

"Selina," immediately I turned to the sweet sound of her voice, "thanks again."

"No problem," even though my mind was set on going back inside my feet were glued to the ground. All that was awaiting me was a half- empty house, but to ask if I could stay would be much too forward of me.

"Well-," she started in a low voice, "if you stay over I can make a batch of cookies for you for un-jamming the door. I don't think my parents would mind."

"You mean overnight?" I questioned my throat dry at the thought.

"Yeah overnight -if that isn't a problem for you."

_God she's talking about a sleepover. What do girls do at those things? They talk about school, but its summertime. Ivy isn't the gossiping type- what am I missing? That's right they talk about __**boys. **_I hoped that wasn't what the night was going to consist of, or I would feel extremely out of place. _Then again- _the thought of the redhead wearing any form of pajamas had me worrying I would get a nosebleed.

"Sure," I said hoarsely.

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><p><em><strong>AN;**_ I can safely say Kenny will be the only OC character.


	3. Jumbled Nerves

**_Disclaimer:** I don't own any part of Batman. **_**

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><p>"Great," Ivy smiled, my cheeks warming at the sight.<p>

"When should I come over?" I asked nervously scratching the back of my neck. The redhead was quiet as she thought,

"As soon as you can. My parents shouldn't mind you coming over and hanging out with me. But, they have never let anyone spend the night, even if they were girls." She took a step closer and whispered happily in my ear, "So this can be our little secret." I swallowed the lump in my throat,

"Alright, I'll be back in a few."

Back in my room I was filling my backpack with a change of pajamas and other things when I stopped halfway through, my heartbeat deafening.

"What am I so nervous about?" I murmured to myself, "It's only a sleepover." The thing was it wasn't that simple, I was going to spend the night with the girl I **liked**. The fact Ivy was doing it behind her parents back had me turning into a jumble of nerves. It's not like I wasn't excited, I was. Tonight I just didn't want to do anything stupid that could end our early friendship. My fingers itched to dial someone for advice when I realized I only had guy friends. They would all have the same resolution, I could already imagine it. 'Just jump her,' they would say.

_We might both be girls, but that fact won't make me less of a creep. Ivy deserves common decency, she's still a person. _Deciding to not call anyone I finished packing and headed down the stairs to the front door. My mother's solid gray eyes met mine before I could turn back up the stairs, _crap. When did she get home? _

"What's the bag for?" she asked coolly. I shook my head slightly, not falling for my mom's intimidation tactics.

"I'm going out," I said simply, shrugging a shoulder indifferently.

"Did you plan on telling me?"

"Nope." My mother huffed in response,

"You know the rules, get back by midnight."

"I'm spending the night at someone's house," I said shifting the single strap on my shoulder. Her eyes widened,

"At a **boy's**?" she became rigid her arms crossed over her chest, voice threatening to ground me if I was going over to a boy's house. That of course wouldn't stop me from sneaking out. A frown pulled at my lips,

"A girl's."

That last statement stole away her finesse; she blinked her gray eyes full of confusion.

"Girl?" my mom thought to herself out loud, everyone knew all my friends were boys. Thankfully my dad appeared a knowing look in his black eyes. He understood that I was going to Ivy's; he was a bit less paranoid than my mom.

"I'll be back tomorrow," I said as I slipped out of the house, a warm breeze crossing me as I closed the front door behind me. It would be too obvious to simply cross the lawn and walk directly to her house. Instead I walked in the opposite direction, planning to loop around the neighborhood.

Though it felt strange I knew I didn't want my parents knowing exactly where I was. An intrinsic part of me needed every inch of freedom I could get. I don't hate my parents; I simply didn't want to constantly be under their surveillance. That's why I never asked them to give me a ride anywhere.

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><p>Golden sun low in the sky a few minutes later I had lapped the block and stood on Ivy's doorstep. Ringing the bell I stepped back my heart fluttering deep in my chest, then the light scent of flowers and cinnamon enveloped me when she opened her door.<p>

A smile curled on my lips at the sight of the frazzled looking Ivy,

"Cute apron." Too late to take back the thought I simply came inside. Closing the door behind me Ivy grumbled,

"I don't think I know how to make cookies." By the delicious smell in the air however, I strongly disagreed with her. Following the teen into the homey kitchen I leaned against the counter, curiously watching the redhead hard at work.

"Do you need help?" Ivy sighed and stood next to me, wiping her flour covered hands onto the apron.

"I don't think I got all the ingredients," she pouted.

"It smells fantastic if my opinion matters at all," she smiled at this, "What did you use?"

"I used eggs; flour, sugar, butter and the mix that came in the package."

"Sounds about right," I nodded.

"I hope they come out edible, I don't want to give my dad a crappy present," Ivy sighed.

_Oh. _The slight blanket of disappointment that had been thrown over me vanished in an instant. _She isn't baking for her boyfriend. _A hint of amusement lit her brown eyes, "Who did you think I was making these for?"

"A boyfriend maybe?" blush stole her cheeks, _shit; I hadn't meant to say that out loud._

"I don't have one," she said softly eyes focused on watching the cookies bake. Why did the fact she was single make my heart beat faster? _Just because she's available doesn't mean she'll suddenly consider me. _The other girl took off her dirtied apron and washed her hands, "You should put your stuff upstairs." So I did as she said but before I could leave her room the redhead had closed the door behind her.

"My parents are the eat-at-the-table types, so if I say I'm not feeling well I can eat up here with you."

"What happened to them knowing I hang out with you?" I asked curiously.

"Well," Ivy breathed, "it's not you. Their just very," she paused looking for the right word, "conservative." Though she said this calmly her chocolate eyes were clearly broadcasting 'they'll eat you alive.' _She cared enough to warn me? _Though I had already pegged her parents for being the stiff kind, always thinking they knew what was best for their daughter. _They're probably keeping her trapped in a bird cage with little room to move. _I faked a gasp,

"I'm happy I covered my tattoos," I said with a laugh, the redhead's eyes widened.

"That was a joke Ivy."


	4. Parental Guidance

_**Disclaimer****:**__** I don't own any part of Batman.**_

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><p><em><strong>Ivy POV<strong>_

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><p>Her jade eyes looked into mine,<p>

"I can handle myself," Selina said confidently. Of all people I imagined the dark haired girl could take on my parents, but she had no idea how they could be. In every way they wanted me solely focused on my education, my botany class was the only reason I was even allowed my garden. It was getting ridiculous, I was a 17 year old girl with little to no freedom and I only had my plants for company. We made our way down the stairs and I caught Selina curiously glancing at the family portraits that hung on the wall. The green eyed girl's gaze was specifically focused on one where I stood between my parents. I knew why, I looked absolutely nothing like them.

Both my mother and my father had honey-brown hair and dark dull eyes. Selina's finger thoughtlessly slid down the glass, her eyes glittered with fascination and my heart fluttered in my chest. Our eyes met and her hand retreated to her side, suddenly the front door unlocked. In his black suit my dad slung his blazer over his arm and went into the kitchen, setting his briefcase down. _How many hours has he worked this week? He looks so tired. _

"Happy birthday dad," I said hugging him loosely, "I made you a present." He smiled ever so slightly,

"Oatmeal cookies?" he asked as we both walked back into the main hall, "Thanks Pammy."

_Ugh. _I glanced back at Selina to find her amused expression and arched brow. I hated my given name but I **loathed **my dad's nickname for me. _When is he going to remember I'm not eight anymore? _After noticing the other girl he tensed, his eyes stony as he undid his cuff-links.

"Who is that?" he asked calmly, not looking either of us in the eye.

"My friend Selina Kyle," I said anxiously. _Why does he sound so pissed off? _

"Kyle," he repeated, "doesn't sound familiar." _Nothing would sound familiar to you, you're never around. _Suddenly my mother's heels clacked up the walkway, her eyes were thunderous when she opened the front door.

"Richard, don't think you are going to avoid me," she snapped. Only when she noticed we had a guest did she put on her trademark fake smile, thinking that would erase her instance of ugliness. My heart dropped into my stomach, _they've been fighting. It's his birthday; can't they stop for one day? _Taking her heels off my mother simply walked into their bedroom, ignoring Selina completely. I huffed, could they pretend to be nice?

I sat down next to Selina, my father sat across from me, my mother opposite to her. We had had eaten in twenty minutes of awkward silence. _Would someone talk?_

"So how long have you known my daughter- Selina is it?" she asked.

"We go to school together," the dark haired girl said simply.

"So you know her from class? Which AP classes do you have with her?" Selina snorted at this,

"My brain is not as big as hers." Skin itching I had a feeling this conversation wasn't going in a good direction.

"So what's your GPA then? Three-point five?"

Selina's eyes darkened,

"Two- point two actually. I failed algebra 1 two times." Though I knew she was being sarcastic about the math thing I could tell my parents didn't find it relatively amusing.

"Hmm," my mother hummed, "honey is it lice season?" she asked, turning to my dad. "Is that why your hair is so short darling?" my mother asked Selina mockingly. Eyes clouded with emotion I watched as her jaw tensed, and then the other girl put on a dazzling forced smile of her own.

"Actually I get it cut this way, you have a problem with it?" The realization sunk in, my parents had been arguing but now they had a common enemy, Selina.

"Do you have any brothers, Selina?" my mother asked mimicking innocent curiosity. The girl beside me shook her head,

"Why?"

"I was simply wondering if you were wearing hand-me-downs." Hot embarrassment and shame burned my face; she wanted to know why Selina was wearing masculine clothes.

"I buy my own clothes," a sliver of restraint left in her smile. Before I knew it I held the other girl's hand under the table that had previously been knotted in her jeans, hoping she would accept my apology when the time came.

_How dare she insinuate-. _To my surprise Selina's expression softened as her head leaned back against the chair. I breathed; _I'll have to apologize a million times before I can feel any better. _Comforting heat from our joined hands snaked up my arm nicely, her thumb swept over the back of my hand. Heart speeding in response I felt some of my anxiety fade, _she's not upset with me. If anything she's mad at my parents. _Before I could sink farther into her warmth Selina gave my hand a squeeze, slid out of the chair and stood.

"Thanks for the dinner, I have to get going."

"Bye," I said calmly, giving her an apologetic glance as I shut the front door behind her.

"And you wonder why I have no friends?" my laugh was hollow. "How could you be so **condescending**?" I asked sharply. My mother simply blinked at me then went back to pecking at her food. "You said I needed friends to be successful didn't you? Then why must you be so judgmental?" Putting a napkin to her lips my mother went into the kitchen,

"I said 'connections' dear, not friends. Friends are simply distractions." Deep frustration boiled in the pit of my stomach, the build up of bullshit from the last 17 years was forcing me closer to the edge. _I can't stand this;_ my hands curled into themselves nails biting into my palms_. _"Plus I don't like that girl, she looks like the type to sell drugs out of her window."

_Her bedroom window is on the second story, _but I knew that wouldn't change their opinions on Selina. My father turned to me from where he stood next to the dining table,

"I don't want to see that girl around here again. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," my voice trembled with anger. _Anything that doesn't resemble a clone of them they simply reject. _"You'll never have to see her again." With Selina's sneaking ability in mind it was true, they would never see her. I practically ran upstairs, shutting my bedroom door behind me I flopped onto my bed. Stress seemed to emanate from my pores. _How_ _could they be my parents_?

"They're so annoying," I grumbled rolling onto my stomach and stared out at the night sky. Humid air had my clothes grossly clinging to my skin, _I need a shower. _The spray of cool water over me was refreshing, washing away sticky sweat. A sigh worked its way out of me, I couldn't stay in this nice igloo forever. Still, the way the water patted against my skin erased some knots in my muscles. Smelling like fresh fruits I turned off the water and started drying off. Back in my bedroom only in my bra I had just slipped into my underwear when Selina swung through my open window. In a snap the dark haired girl had her back to me.

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><p><em><strong>AN; **_I'm happy I decided to add in more chapters compared to keeping it the way I had had it. What do you think?


	5. Her Protector

_**Selina POV**_

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><p>Even though it had only lasted a second it felt like I had been gazing at her for hours. Even with my back to her and my eyes closed the image of Ivy lingered behind my eyelids, my heart beating erratically in my chest. It was too much smooth, perfect skin to see all at once to leave anyone sane. Mind wandering I tried to forget the delicate white lace that clothed her, or the way the redhead's tousled wet hair hung low to her waist. Then there had been the water, which seemingly found a way to trail down every supple curve of Ivy's body. <em>Thank god she can't hear how fast my heart's beating. <em>

"Yeah," I said huskily, _damn it, _it must have sounded like I had been crying because she took a step closer. It was dark so the redhead most likely wouldn't see it, but my tail was squirming in my jeans. _That's why I don't wear short shorts or skirts; I'd have no way to hide it. _During times like this when I was _intrigued _it reacted, it would move on its own in order to give satisfaction to its owner. _That is the last thing I want to happen in front of Ivy. _"Is your door locked?" I asked turning her attention, a second later I heard her lock it.

Sighing I lay on her bed, slowly relaxing as I was blanketed in her flowery scent. The clock beside me read eight-thirty in red numbers when I felt her added weight on the mattress. My eyes snapped open,

"I'm so sorry," she said softly her hand lay against my stomach just above spiraling heat. "Are you sure you're okay?" With that I propped myself up onto my elbows, my throat immediately drying, _oh. _The way she leaned her glistening breasts were pressed together giving me an eyeful of cleavage, her hand felt even hotter flat against my stomach.

"I'm fine," I said my eyes now meeting her worry filled chocolate gaze. _Please put on some clothes before I have a heart attack. _Clearing my throat slightly I asked, "Could you-?"

Suddenly it dawned on Ivy that she was practically naked, her face went tomato red in a flash.

"You're lying on my clothes," she murmured, cutely embarrassed. Getting off the bed I looked away and stood by the window, blocking out possible peering eyes.

_Her parents are the worst kind, with their condescending comments and fake smiles. _Though they were rude about it, they were hinting at the correct assumption. _So what if I'm butch? And also lesbian? I hardly see why it's such a big deal. We live in New York for fuck's sake. Then again- we live in uptown, near actual nature; only in the city are people too busy to judge others for who they are. _

"You've become a tart," the snarl ripped through my hearing, "just like your mother." Turning back to a dressed Ivy I knew she hadn't heard them, the redhead simply sat at the edge of her bed.

"Richard, I know you've been sleeping around," Ivy's mother hissed, "I'm not blind." _Oh no. _

Heart dropping into my stomach in seconds I tried to think of something to do, _fuck, I should have left my bedroom window open. _

"Do you have any music?" I asked casually, attempting to appear calm. Being as straight-laced as they were I knew they would only become louder, I hoped the music could drown out half of it at least. Ivy nodded and motioned to some speakers and a MP3 player; before she could ask what I was doing I cranked up the music.

"You're just paranoid Nora," her dad growled.

"No I am not! I saw you with **her**, I saw you two together," the venom thick in her voice. "You can't lie to me about this anymore!"

For a little while the indie rock masked most of their argument, none of which I wanted to hear. I felt like I was prying into the secrets of a barely patched-up family.

"Or what Nora, huh?" her father yelled, breaking past the music. "Are you going to threaten me with divorce **again**?" Sickening realization hit Ivy, her brown eyes grew watery as she registered the now inhuman voice was that of her dad. Not caring to change I slipped under the covers, wishing she would do the same. Holding her sides the redhead simply stared at the floor, tears streaking her cheeks. Heart clenching deep in my chest I couldn't stand seeing her cry.

"Come here," I said it so softly I couldn't believe she even heard me. Breathing raggedly the redhead buried her face in my chest, trying to muffle her uneven breathing.

"I hate you! You don't give a damn about this family!" her mother roared over the music.

"Family," I heard her father's bitter chuckle. "It's a little hard to care about the well-being of my cheating wife and her little wedlock daughter." Ivy trembled against me, her fingernails bit into my skin as she held onto me, desperately trying to keep her face hidden. The front of my shirt grew icy and damp with her tears, my heart painfully pounded between my lungs. _They don't deserve Ivy. _

Now I could hear her sobbing against my chest, my arms wrapped around her protectively.

"I hate this," her voice raw.

"I'm here," I said lowly holding her tighter, "I'll always be here, okay?" The other girl's red rimmed eyes found mine; I wiped the tears from her cheeks with my thumbs. To block out more of their fight I rolled her over onto her side, my back to her bedroom door. Trying her hardest to not break down Ivy wrapped her arms around my neck, resting her head between my shoulder and neck.

Soon the argument cooled, the music danced in the air and was the only other sound other than Ivy's sniffling. Each caught breath would shake the redhead's entire body, arms wrapped around her waist I brought her closer to me.

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><p><em><strong>Ivy POV<strong>_

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><p>The dub-lub sound of Selina's heartbeat dried my burning eyes, slowly edging me closer to sleep. Light piano music danced in the otherwise silent room, her strong arms held me gently. Sighing I relaxed leaning into her, soft warmth spread throughout my chest, my weak heart still trying to stabilize. <em>What did I do to deserve her? <em>Every other person I knew would've simply left me alone. But here the other girl was, holding me, trying to rescue me from the nightmare called my life. With her soft breathing against my ear darkness slowly took over my thoughts, singing me to sleep.

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><p>Warm sunlight peeked over the treetops and blanketed me, forcing me to open my eyes. Calmly napping the dark haired girl lay beside me, her arms still loosely coiled around me. Long lashes moving my heart fluttered when her jade eyes met mine. Pushing a few strands of hair behind my ear, worry tinting her words she asked,<p>

"How did you sleep?" _Good- actually, considering what happened, _pain sliced into my chest when I thought about it. _Wait- she, she stayed the entire time? _"I didn't want to leave you here," Selina said softly yawning. "If I don't get back soon my parents might-," I looked over at the clock, it read two-fifty.

The other teen pulled away, I was suddenly cold without her beside me.

"I assume you have better things to do then lay in bed with me," Selina said with an amused smile. _I don't. _Actually I was perfectly content with lying in her arms until my world felt normal again. But she didn't need to know how weak I knew I was,

"I do," I said simply.

"Alrighty," she stretched near the window, "if you need me," she said grabbing her bag, her beautiful green eyes looked at me, "Say when and I'll be here."

"Okay," I said, fighting the urge to tell her to stay. With that Selina jumped down and I gasped heart in my throat and ran to the window, looking down.

A smirk curled the girl's pink lips as she looked up at me,

"miss me so soon?" Heart beating rapidly in my chest I stuttered,

"I-I thought. I forgot." Selina's jade eyes were soft on mine, she chuckled and began walking backwards.

"Later Ivy."

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><p>Though Ivy didn't yet understand her feelings, that was the moment they both fell in love.<p> 


	6. Rainy Days

_**Disclaimer: **__**I don't own any part of Batman. **_

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><p>It had been a week or two since the sleepover and though I couldn't imagine how tense living there had been, Ivy had told me things had cooled down between her parents. Careful not to bump into them when I went over to check on her I had memorized their schedules. Most often her parents would leave around seven in the morning and come home after the sun had already set. However, the redhead had warned me that they sometimes had unplanned production meetings in nearby east coast states, which meant they would leave early and come home mid afternoon. But today wasn't one of those days so I sat on the bench of her window, back against the wall and my cheek pressed against cool glass. Ivy tugged on a cardinal red sweater and sat across from me a book in her lap,<p>

"You don't like the rain do you?"

I inhaled the fresh scent, wiping the grimace from my face. The light rapping of raindrops against the glass danced in my ears.

"I don't hate it," I murmured looking up at the thick slate clouds. Ivy's curious brown eyes were on me waiting for me to continue. "Rain smells fantastic when it's falling- it's just- when it soaks your clothes they smell all moldy after." It was supposed to be mid July but that didn't stop the weather from turning on its head. A damp breeze slipped through the partly opened window and ran over Ivy's legs. The faint hairs on her peach toned skin not covered by shorts stood on end with the chill, Ivy stretched her Stanford sweater over her knees.

_She'll go to one of those places won't she? She has the brains for them. Senior year is only a handful of weeks away and- _I didn't want to think about it.

"Let me guess - asparagus?"

"I hate it," I said automatically my nose wrinkling at the thought, "smells like piss."

"Sounds like you have an acute sense of smell," I could hear her smile as my eyelids slid closed. _All of my five senses are that way; taste, sight, smell, sound- touch,_ heat coiled low in my stomach and I fought to keep my thoughts clean.

"Yeah," I breathed, the light scent of roses burned off Ivy's skin and weaved into the dominating rain.

"Jeez, why do I always get so cold?" Ivy pouted.

Obviously she could have just changed into jeans, I outstretched my arms, but I knew we were both in a lazy mood today. Without a second thought the girl sat in my lap her back to my chest as my arms loosely wrapped around her waist.

"Were you baking in an oven Selina? Why are you always so hot?" A smile curled on my lips as I heard her heart beat faster, "wait- no, I didn't mean it like that," the redhead sounded flustered. _So you don't find me attractive? _"Well you are-," my smile grew wider, "you are pretty," she murmured. I summed up the racing of her heart to be from embarrassment and nothing else.

Instead of asking the rhetorical question 'do you wear perfume?' which I knew would be answered with a 'no' I asked,

"Why do you always smell like flowers?"

"I'm always in my garden," she said simply, "not in this weather of course." Curiously I peered through the slightly fogged up glass, my eyes suddenly focused on a solid hedge of green. _Is that her – garden?_ _It looks like nothing but bramble and thorn from here_, not wanting to hurt her feelings I kept that thought to myself.

"Over there?" I gestured to the hedge, she laughed lightly in response and shook her head.

"No- no, that's not it. That's there to keep my mother from trying to take it over."

_That makes sense, calling your mom controlling is an understatement. _

"Sometimes I think I can feel them- the plant's energy. I can feel them growing," she said lowly. _Well that sounded a bit- weird. Then again I'm hiding a tail in my jeans, so who am I to judge? _

"What do you mean?" Ivy relaxed against me,

"Like a maternal instinct, because I've grown them. I know it sounds a bit strange." I nodded listening to the rain,

"A little." A question surfaced in my mind, "with your parents," I paused and rethought my wording, "how did you go to all those places?" I asked referring to the photographs.

"During the last few summers they've gone on big business trips," she started.

"To rain forests?" Ivy shook her head,

"Telling my parents I would be working as a sort of intern, I could go travel with scientific researchers. That way they wouldn't have to worry about me being home alone. For weeks at a time I'd be surrounded by all that nature. It was breathtaking," Ivy ended with a blissful sigh. "But this summer-," she grumbled.

"What?"

"I have summer school starting this upcoming Monday." My jaw almost dropped,

"**You **have to repeat a class?"

"No- I mean it's just a college class my dad signed me up for, head start on credits and everything." The news left me feeling deflated; I didn't want to imagine going back to only having the company of baboon-like teenage boys. "It starts late in the afternoon and ends around seven." _Well that's good news; she has fewer hours to spend around her parents. _The thought escaped my lips,

"You don't have a car. You'll be walking home alone when it's dark out."

"I'll be fine," the other girl's heart sped up, she had obviously considered this. I shook my head,

"I'll walk you back," I said simply.

The redhead moved out of my grasp and faced me,

"What if my parents see you?"

"They won't."

"It's a three mile walk," her voice was heavy with guilt. _She had planned to walk that distance in New York, alone?_

"S'alright, I needed a good excuse to stretch my legs." A cute smile curled her lips,

"Why do you have to be so sweet?" I gave her a one shouldered shrug; _I'm only sweet because you are. _Body moving towards her on its own I had to force myself to sit back down.

I had to fight the urge to kiss her. _How long can I keep this up? _I ran a hand down my face,

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm fine," I let my hand fall into my lap, I wasn't alright. I wasn't even feeling sane anymore. I was _falling _for a straight girl.

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><p><em><strong>AN;** _I'll definitely get more chapters up once Thanksgiving break starts, it pains me to be deprived of writing Fanfiction, anyhoo till then here's this nice fluffy chapter.


	7. Autumn Nights

_**Disclaimer:**__** I do not own any part of Batman.**_

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><p>Instead of doing nothing during Ivy's four-hour absence I had looked for a part-time job near her school. There was a little vet clinic, since it didn't require past job experience I had pretty much been hired on the spot. Today had been my first day and working with the animals had been a breeze, the most difficult thing was being able to understand everyone's accents when scheduling appointments. My five-hour shift having ended I checked out and changed out of my uniform polo in the locker rooms. Walking down the sidewalk I dug my cell phone out of my pocket and was reassured it was really only seven.<p>

Looking back up at where the school – or rather academy was my eyes ran over the Gothic architecture, the walls carved out of dark stone. Really all it was missing were gargoyles perched on the roof. Sky a navy blue by now the old-fashioned streetlights illuminated the entrance of the school and I patiently waited behind the looming gate. Stairs led up to the large arched double doors, beside the entrance path cherry trees and various hardy flowers grew. Almost etched into the stone ivy crept up the walls, branching out like fingers. Leaning against a tree I hitched my thumbs into my pockets and watched my breath turn into clouds in the cold air.

Soon the sound of the bell chimed from the tower atop the school, the sound echoed far away in my mind. Around 100 students gracefully exited, many of them chatting excitedly as they went down the stairs. Keeping my eyes peeled for the redhead I smiled when I found her in the crowd. Adjusting to her wearing a school uniform was still difficult. She was obviously downplaying the academy as a 'summer school thing.' All the students were required to wear black blazers and white dress shirts. The boys wore dark grey slacks and the girls could wear the same slacks, or plaid skirts that fell just below the knee.

The first time I had seen her wearing it my jaw dropped, she was beautiful. _She still is. _Saying goodbye to a few friends she gave me a quick smile which was soon erased by an icy gust of wind. Shivering beside me we began to walk back, the store lights gave off a warm glow in the darkness.

"Jesus Selina, aren't you cold?" she breathed, I shrugged. The long sleeve thermal and gray beanie I wore kept me comfortably warm.

"How was school?"

"It was fine," Ivy murmured trying to pull the blazer sleeve down over her knuckles.

"I wouldn't be surprised if I get frostbite," she pouted. A group of boys wearing the same uniform as Ivy's walked past us, a sigh escaped her lips and made me turn to her.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," she exhaled a day-dreamy expression on her face. Suddenly the air grew even colder, at least it did to Ivy. The redhead's teeth were practically chattering. Her brown eyes looked up into mine, "Selina, could you hold my hand?" A smile curled on my lips and my heart fluttered at the thought. Giving her a nod her soft hand slipped into place with mine, the sensation feeling extremely natural.

Though we were near the outskirts of Gotham I was still sure to stay alert, mentally making note of those who walked behind us for too long. I couldn't be too careful, not when I was with her.

"Earlier you saw those guys right? Well there's this one named Jake," the redhead tipped her head back and gazed up at the sky. "He went to school with us and I've liked him since sophomore year." Digesting her words I didn't let her see how the news affected me, "I want to tell him," Ivy shook her head. "I just don't know how." _I can't help you there. _

"So he likes science too?" I asked casually, "What kind?"

"Marine biology I think," she sounded shocked that I was even asking about him.

"Marine biology in New York? Maybe he's thinking about California," I murmured to myself.

"Don't even bring up California," she groaned gripping my hand tighter, "It's probably sunny and warm there right now. And here we are stuck with this bipolar weather."

"It is always sunny and warm there," I chuckled, "haven't you seen the brochures?"

That earned me a small smile, cold creeping in she huddled closer to me, both of her arms now wrapped around my arm. _If only-. _

"So what else do you know about him?" I tried to distract myself.

"Well I- I mean," she started shyly, "We've only really talked about our careers."

"Hm."

"I don't know you that well either," Ivy realized. "What's your favorite color?"

"Black," I answered without thought.

"Black is not a color."

"Oh miss smarty pants black absorbs all the colors, so therefore it is a color."

"I love it when you try to be nerdy," she laughed. A little more than two-thirds home we we're still talking about ourselves.

"Are you a cat or dog person?" I asked.

"Cat," the redhead answered,

"Nice choice," I smiled. The streetlights caught the gleam of a jet black paint job and I stopped in my tracks. Parked, the almost-new car had a card that read for sale in the window, my heart nearly stopped, _it's only ten thousand? _Ivy stood beside me,

"What is it?"

"My dream car," I moved closer wanting to hug the four-seater until I remembered it probably had an alarm.

With one last longing glance I logged the call back number in my cell phone and we continued walking. _Maybe my parents will buy it for me? _Soon we were a block away from Ivy's house, the redhead pulled away from me, holding her sides because of the cold.

"Thanks," she gave me a breathtaking smile, the icy wind making her red hair dance in the breeze.

"Anytime," my heart was on fire with emotion, her front door cracked open in the distance and I disappeared into the night without another word.

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><p>We got a little further into the discussion as I walked her home Thursday, thankfully she didn't remind me of Jake. Like the last few times she held tight to me and I was glad it was cold, I doubted she would otherwise. After walking her home she had invited me inside, her parents had left early to go to a meeting in Maine. Stuffing my beanie into my back pocket I followed her up the stairs, as soon as I turned from shutting the door I knew something was wrong. Sighing she sat on the edge of her bed and I sat beside her,<p>

"I told him today. And- and he told me I wasn't his type, he said he doesn't like redheads."

"Well he's stupid," I said frankly. That Jake guy was most likely into a doll that would change for him. Then he was right, Ivy wasn't his type, she had her dignity. My thoughts escaped my lips before I had a hope to stop them.

"For the most part men are obsessed with specifics in appearance, they date for the aesthetics. Women more often are interested in personality and character, they learn to love every unique aspect, every flaw." I was looking out the window as I said this, Ivy simply sat processing what I had just told her.

"I mean- Selina if you were a boy would you-?"

"Yes," I answered automatically, the other girl turned to me,

"Why?" Her question had my face catching fire,

"You're insanely compassionate, driven, kind," the redhead's cheeks tinted pink, "Do I really need to list everything?"

Silently she shook her head,

"It just pisses me off that some guy has his head so far up his ass that he can't see how perfectly gorgeous you are." Soft brown eyes connected with mine,

"Do you really mean all that Selina?"

"Of course I do Ivy," I breathed my heart nearly beating out of my chest.

"Thanks," she said softly her cheeks warming with blush, pink lips curled in a smile meant for kissing. _I wish I could show her how beautiful I think she is. _We stayed up until eleven having eaten dinner and watched a movie, soon we both fell asleep. Part way into sleep I felt an added weight on me, my eyes slowly opened to find the redhead laying on top of me, her thighs against either side of my hips.

Heat coiled low in my stomach, Ivy blinked awake,

"Sorry," she murmured embarrassed. In a flash I flipped her on her back situating myself between her long legs. Curious brown eyes searched mine, her red hair fanned out against her pillow. Mind spinning with emotion I pressed my lips against hers, finally tasting a hint of her sweetness.

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><p><em><strong>Ivy POV<strong>_

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><p>Heat flooded my body when I was flipped on my back, the other girl surrounding me. Piercing yellow eyes looked down at me, heart racing I grew dizzy as her soft lips met mine.<p>

"I can't keep lying about my feelings," though Selina's voice was firm something about what she said made her sound so fragile. Hunger was sharp in her gaze but I saw the restraint, still I wasn't anymore prepared for her second kiss. My knees went weak and I thought my heart was going to explode in my chest. The dark-haired girl pulled away and with one last yellow eyed glance, she slipped out the window.

Subconsciously my fingertips brushed my lips, I could still feel the pressure of Selina's on them. I sat up and ran a hand through my hair, confusion finally setting in. _Selina just kissed me, does that mean-? Does she like girls? _Just thinking of what had happened and how I reacted made my cheeks flush with heat. _I was half asleep, _I tried to convince myself, _it doesn't mean anything. She was probably doing all that in her sleep._

In the back of my mind I knew that wasn't true, but lying to myself was going to be the only way I was going to get any sleep tonight.


	8. City Lights

_**Disclaimer: **_**I do not own any part of Batman.**

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><p><strong>Ivy POV<strong>

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><p>It was Monday and I sat glued to my seat where I stared off into space. The main lecture and side conversations all melted into a continuous hiss. I couldn't focus on anything for more than a minute at a time. <em>How could I? <em>I hadn't seen Selina since Friday night and I wasn't sure how or if I should approach her. My fingers knotted in my skirt in frustration, my eyes ran over Jake, who was intently taking notes. It was true I had liked him, but that wasn't why I told Selina about him. _Nothing makes sense anymore was I trying to make her jealous or something?_ I ran a hand through my thick curls and looked from the stained-glass window to my untouched notebook. Jake's biology class was across the grassy courtyard from mine, the sky had darkened into a cold violet.

Nervousness and confusion dropped low into my stomach, _I feel sick._ My teacher noticed how I was uncomfortably shifting in my seat. Raising my hand I swallowed the lump in my throat,

"Excuse me Professor," I said trying to take control of my voice.

"Ms. Isley?" he asked.

"May I use the restroom?"

"Please hurry back Pamela, we'll be having a quiz on the Nightshade family."

"Alright," I breathed silently putting my things away in my desk as his focus returned to the class. My boots made no sound as I jogged down the corridor, I didn't care about what others might think.

Slipping into the girl's bathroom I locked the door behind me and slid down the wall and sat on the floor. Chin balanced on my knees I tried to calm down, my heart was sore and tears burned my eyes. I hated the fact Selina had stolen my first kiss, yet I felt so lost without her by my side. _I thought we were friends? Did she want more than that_? My stomach flipped as thoughts flooded my mind_,_ _am I even straight? At least she knows who she is. I've never met a boy that has made me feel the way Selina does._ Without thought my fingertips brushed my lips, the attached memory set my heart on fire_. Friends don't reminisce about kissing;_ wiping the starting tears from my face I stood only to feel off kilter.

Mind and heart drowning with confusion I unlocked the door and ran out of school. Icy air coiled tight around me, I stared up at the blackening sky feeling small and even more alone. Wrapping my white scarf around my bare neck I slipped past the alarm by jumping over the gate. Quickly I checked the sidewalks around me, they were oddly empty and I had gone unnoticed. _I_ _just want to get home._ Trying to clear my thoughts I started to walk, checking my blazer pockets I sighed in relief when I felt paper. _Please be money so I can take a taxi._ Disappointment doused my hope, in my hand I held a study guide for the quiz I wasn't taking.

"Perfect," I murmured hoarsely, the wind only got harsher with my bad luck. I hurriedly made my way down the damp sidewalk, clutching my sides I looked over at the animal shelter.

Shaking my head I continued on,_ she's probably not working tonight._ About a mile later the arches of my feet began to ache when I heard a few pairs of footsteps directly behind me.

"I love redheads," the man said drunkenly, fear made my heart pound faster. Not trying to catch their attention anymore I began to move more quickly.

"And look at that she's even wearing a little uniform," another said darkly. Anxiously I scanned the nearby buildings and homes for plant life, panic branched out in my chest when my slim chances lessened. In case I got away I wanted to make sure I avoided these guys in the future, they got even more roused up when I glanced over my shoulder.

"Aw baby don't play hard to get," the third called they sounded closer than before. My heartbeat now deafening I noticed the decreasing number of streetlights._ I'd do anything to be safe in your arms again. _Street darkening in front of me I ran towards a thin illuminated alley. Steam and the spices from restaurants surrounded me, jumping over crates and boxes of food I could hardly breathe. Like wolves after blood I heard them cursing and leaping over the obstacles.

"Get your ass back here!" one shouted as they ripped through the alleyway, at any moment I thought I was going to trip. It felt like I was running forever, I could practically feel their breath on my neck as I raced towards the streetlight.

Jet black paint glistened in the darkness and the calming rumbling of an engine filled my ears as I reached the sidewalk. _That car-, _hope reawakened in my mind. Car still running the dark-haired girl got out and stood next to the driver side door. Relief flooded my mind; her jade glare focused on the alleyway.

"Get in the car Ivy," Selina said firmly. Happily doing as she said I stared out the window suddenly afraid for her safety. Her green eyes were boiling with disgust and anger when she stood face to face with the three men that had chased me. They sized her up in a few seconds, smirks darkly curling their lips, they all looked at least 10 years older than us.

"That's a nice car you got there," one purred, "we'll leave as soon as we get her out of it."

Even through the glass I could feel the rage radiating from her,

"No."

"Girl you've got a pretty face," the biggest of them said lowly, "don't make me change that. Just hand her over. Actually," I felt sick when he paused ominously, "we can just cut you up instead." My heart dropped into my stomach as he moved closer to her, but she stood tall and unflinching. That is until he tried to touch her. In a fury of movement she shoved the man in the red jacket away, her lightning fast reflexes almost too quick to watch. Another man with tattooed arms charged at her, but before he could touch her Selina had her hand wrapped around his throat.

In a flash she pinned him onto the ground making the old concrete crack underneath him. Heart racing under my skin I watched the other two anxiously, their shocked expressions locked onto her. I watched in awe at my friend's brute strength.

"If I ever see you again," Selina growled tightening her hold on his throat. Mercifully she released him, all three men scrambled away into the darkness. Eyes clouded with emotion she slipped back into the car, her usually green eyes were a haunting yellow.

"Put on your seat belt," she said softly before putting the car in motion, not caring if she had her own on.

I did as she said and stared at my folded hands that sat in my lap, a lump grew in my throat. A chill crept across my skin and a second later she turned the heater on without a word.

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><p>Soon the bright lights and skyscrapers of the city melted into familiar streets and suburbs.<p>

"Thank you," I finally managed to turn and face her, "how-how did you know?"

"I was making sure you got home okay." _She cares that much? _Seriously Selina glanced at me her grip on the steering wheel tightening, "They've followed me around the city before, but I usually just lose them."Left speechless she continued, "those creeps, they didn't hurt you did they?"

I shook my head instantly; emotion suddenly overrode my nervousness,

"If you hadn't been there I-," I shuddered tears nearly spilling down my cheeks.

"Nothing would've happened, I told you I'd always be here right?" Warmth bloomed deep in my chest; I looked out the window to see her pulling up to our houses.

"I don't want to go home," I said softly, she arched a dark brow.

"A drive then?"I nodded,

"You don't want to go home?"

"Not particularly," she said dryly as she continued to drive turning onto the freeway.

Attempting to keep up neutral chitchat just to hear her voice my mind formed sentences,

"So you finally got your dream car?"

"Yep," Selina smiled slightly and brushed her fingertips across the dashboard, "my baby's used but I could still afford her. Didn't know I had a college savings account until I checked. Now she's all mine." Silence again filled the gap between us until I saw a 'work ahead' sign.

"Take that turn they haven't started construction yet." The dark-haired girl gave me a curious look,

"You know this because why? Because of your parent's business meetings?"

I nodded,

"Where are we going? At this rate we'll be in Vermont in an hour or two," Selina murmured to herself. We were alone cruising through the dark, above us the starlight tumbled through the thin birch branches. Soon my nerves started to gnaw at my mind and I couldn't hold back my thoughts any longer.

"Why were you gone for the last three days?"

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><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

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><p>The pleasant rumble of the Chevy was silenced by the redhead's soft voice.<p>

"I didn't want to smother you, I wanted to give you space and time to think," I let my foot off the gas a little.

"So you, you're a-," Ivy said a little uncomfortably.

"A lesbian? Yeah, I get it if you don't want to hang out anymore since I-." Brown eyes warm she turned to me,

"That's not it Selina, I don't have a problem with you," she said lowly. Finally part of the weight on my chest evaporated,

"Do you still want to be friends?" I asked hopefully. Her chocolate eyes brightened at the question,

"Of course."

Not trying to crash into something I turned my eyes back onto the road,

"Do you still like me?" Ivy asked quietly. Nearly having a heart attack I swerved a little,

"Yes," I said hoarsely. The redhead's quick heartbeat danced in the air and I nervously shifted, "you okay?" I asked drawing attention away from myself. _I hope she doesn't hate me for __that._

"After that happened, you left me so confused, I just," Ivy was really flustered, "it was my first kiss Selina." _I hadn't meant to take that from you. _A sliver of guilt wormed its way into my heart, "I haven't had any good friends, I've never been in any kind of relationship-I don't know if what I'm feeling is normal."

"Should I have missed you so badly? Should it have felt good when you kissed me?" Ivy asked the last part softly."Or am I just new to affection?" My heart ached for the girl beside me; I couldn't imagine her parents had ever given her praise. I took a side road that led up to a hill when I digested everything she had said. "What's the difference between liking someone as a friend and more than that?" Turning off the engine and putting on the emergency brake I got out of the car and leaned against the hood. Soon Ivy joined me outside, but now she kept her distance.

"It's a difference of affection and determination really," I watched as my breath vanished into the black sky. "Both want what is best for you, want to help you succeed, protect you, all of those things. But how hard are they going to work for you? Do they give up on you easily? Friends are people who you share something in common with, they're there for you. But someone who cares about you will stick around even during difficult times, even when you're stubborn. They're the person you think about before you go to sleep, the person you feel lost without."

Ivy's breathing filled my ears when I felt her soft hand on my shoulder, I couldn't stand looking her in the eyes. I closed my eyes and my cheeks burned,

"And then when you touch or kiss there's this feeling that you can't describe," I breathed.

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><p><strong>Ivy POV<strong>

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><p>With my fingers brushing her high cheekbones Selina looked at me incredulously,<p>

"What are you doing?" I framed the girl's face my fingers now edging into her choppy black hair.

"I need to figure out my feelings," I searched her eyes, "maybe it was because it was my first kiss, or because I was in shock. I need to know," heart racing I stood closer to her. Our clouds of breath began to wash into each other as I stared at her lips nervously, "can I?" I asked lowly. Soft lips meeting mine warmth danced in my chest as her hands covered mine.

Before I could understand what was happening our lips met a few more times and her kisses made me dizzy. Now my fingers were clutching the shirt at her shoulders, Selina's hands framed my face as she deepened the kiss. Curiously I licked at her pink lips, excitement shot up my spine when her tongue met mine. Surprised at my own bluntness I pulled away a little, our hands remained interlocked.

"You like me," the dark-haired girl murmured and made my ears hot. A gust of wind sent my hair flying, I looked out of the corner of my eye to see the enchanting lights of New York City in the distance. They were a cluster of blurry orbs dancing like beacons in a black sea.

"It's beautiful," I breathed, shivering I brought my blazer closer.

"And cold out," Selina chuckled, "come on let's get in the car where it's warm." Face freezing cold I followed her inside the car. As she drove I huddled closer to her even though she had put the heater on again, she offered me her right hand to hold. It was a longer drive because she drove slowly on the way back, I looked up at her once I began to recognize the houses.

"Can I sleep with you tonight?" I asked.

Selina chuckled and ran a hand through her black hair,

"Just want to get in my pants don't you?" Face burning with embarrassment I sat up straight,

"I-I didn't it mean like that," I huffed, "I just don't want to go home."

"You can stay over whenever," she said warmly, "you know that."

"I won't try anything," I blurted.

"I was getting worried over here," Selina gave me a wink that made my heart flutter. All of the negative emotions that had brewed in my chest earlier evaporated as I followed her into her house. Soon I lay in bed with her becoming suddenly sleepy as I felt her arms protectively curl around my waist.

Darkness edged into my vision as I heard her say good night in my ear, a smile curled on my lips as I fell asleep.


	9. Gentle Kisses

**_Disclaimer_:_I do not own any part of Batman. _**

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><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

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><p>It had been three weeks since we started dating, though we had kissed a few times most of our relationship wasn't physical. Ivy still could be confused about what she wanted, maybe it was simply convenient for her to date me. I wanted her to sort out her feelings before we did anything serious, that and I didn't want to rush her. Back against the wall I sat up in bed flipping through channels on the TV. The only programs that caught my attention I had watched a million times, and the shows I wanted to watch wouldn't play reruns. With a sigh I turned off the TV and laid down now intently staring at the ceiling.<p>

_This is what I do all day? Do I have no hobbies? _In the past I didn't really have off time I was either at school, with friends or at work, I didn't have time. Last year rumors had started flying that I was this wild and reckless sort of girl. Went to parties, did drugs, the usual high school verbal vomit. I might have known friends of friends that did that sort of stuff, but I sure as hell didn't. I twisted my finger around my bangs, _I'm at work when Ivy is at school. We hang out every weekday because her parents are home on the weekends. Ivy has her garden, _I rolled onto my stomach with a huff, _I shouldn't have sold all of my games. Now look at my Xbox all dusty and lonely. _

"Now all I'm stuck with is daytime television," I sighed and stood finally getting around to changing out of my pajamas, it was already four in the afternoon. Though I did notice light footsteps coming up the stairs I couldn't tell who it was until the redhead opened the door as I was pulling my shirt on. A smile curled on my lips, she always had awkward timing.

"Sorry," she screwed her eyes shut her cheeks flushing a shade of pink.

"Hey," I chuckled,

"I should have knocked," she murmured looking at her feet.

"Your parents let you off the hook?"

"They think I'm still studying for the SAT's at my friend's house," she beamed.

"Nice," I smiled, my eyes landed on the duffel bag slung over her shoulder. "What's that for?" I asked curiously.

"I was going to go for a run for a little."

"There's a treadmill downstairs if you-," my girlfriend shook her head.

"It's okay, I'll only be out for a half hour." I raised a brow,

"What if your parents see you? Won't jogging down the block screw up your whole SAT studying?"

Ivy laughed,

"They go to work all the time, you really think they'll leave the house once they get home? They won't see me."

"Alrighty," I laid back with my arms behind my head, "You can leave your other stuff here." _What am I going to do until you get back?_ Ivy changed in the bathroom, I couldn't help but be a little disappointed, I mean I never watched her change. Still I did miss the chance to glance at her smooth skin. My girlfriend came out wearing a blue hoodie and gym shorts, her long ruby colored hair was tied up in a bun. Just the sight of her long legs had my heart beating faster,

"I'll be back in a little okay?" she asked.

In a blink of an eye she pressed her lips against mine, when she pulled away I could already feel a goofy smile pulling at my lips.

"M'kay," I breathed. She turned to leave, a sudden thought had me catching up to her in the hallway. "Are you only going around the neighborhood?"

"Yeah," she looked slightly confused, her expression softened when she realized why I was worried. "I'll be fine Selina, see? I'm wearing shorts I can run in," she tried to lighten the mood. I dug into the pockets of my pajamas,

"Take this in case," I handed her my cellphone.

Because winter was coming it got dark outside a lot sooner,

"You remember the house number right?" She nodded smiling sweetly,

"You worry so much," she ruffled my hair up.

"I only worry about things that are important to me," I said lowly as I leaned into her touch. I pulled away when I felt my tail curling and uncurling underneath my clothes. "Alright time to go," I motioned her to the door, "Shoo, shoo." Ivy chuckled,

"God you are so weird."

"That's why you like me."

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><p>After Ivy left I stretched and let out a yawn,<p>

"I'm so bored." Walking into the kitchen I put in my earphones, I stopped at the sight of cluttered counters a scowl now on my face. "We meet again, dishes," I said melodramatically.

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><p>Humming along to the music I smiled when I looked at all the washed dishes in the drainer, the counters were clean again. I dried off my hands and turned off the music, a slight sound came from the workout room. Even from where I was I could hear the sound of her sneakers smacking the belt and the hum of the treadmill. Ivy, the girl who disliked 95 percent of all "unneeded technology" was running via a treadmill. A few days ago I asked her why she had bought my games if she didn't own a console. The redhead had told me she got them for a friend's birthday present. It was a miracle we even met, that sounds a bit too dramatic. <em>Would we be going out right now if I had been in Tahiti with my parents that day? <em> I made my way through the house quietly and leaned against the doorway of the room.

It was difficult to not be hypnotized by the way her body moved, I sat down in a nearby chair and enjoyed the view. Her bright brown eyes flicked up in the mirror parallel to the machine,

"Hey," she breathed. I let my eyelids close, the sound of her rapid heartbeat filled my ears. The smell of her skin wrapped around my senses blanketing my body with heat, she had her own natural perfume.

"So what's the special occasion?" I asked casually, "It must be important for you to break your I-never-if-rarely-use-technology vow." Ivy stopped the treadmill and stood trying to catch her breath,

"I mean if we ever do that," she paused. "In comparison to you I- I just feel really flabby."

_Flabby? _The thought hit me like a bag of bricks. _In comparison to me? The only place she has more weight than me is in the chest. _I walked up behind her and put my hands on her shoulders,

"Have you even looked in the mirror?" I asked. "Where is this flab?"

"Well I-," she muttered not able to come up with an answer. Ivy's cheeks warmed when I planted a small kiss on the back of her neck.

"Listen, you can do whatever you want if it makes **you** happy," I wrapped my arms loosely around her waist. My hand slipped under her shirt and I rubbed her flat stomach soothingly, "But remember you're perfect to me okay?" Long red lashed veiled her lowered eyes in the mirror,

"Okay," she breathed.

Her body heat snaked up my fingertips and I took my hand away when my tail twitched.

"I'll be upstairs cleaning if you need me," I said hoarsely.

"I'll be up in a bit," she said before turning the treadmill back on.

About ten minutes later I was putting towels away in my bathroom when I noticed Ivy laying on my bed. She had taken off her sweater, revealing the black tank top underneath.

"I'm never doing that again," she sighed, her skin glistened with sweat. "I feel all gross and sticky," she grumbled, shifting sexily without knowing the effect it had on me. I got on the bed and let my hands run up her legs before spreading them a little, I knelt over her one hand supporting me, the other curled around her hip. _We've come so far since our first kiss, _I smiled. Something compelling stirred in her dark gaze, that look in her eyes had want clawing deep inside me.

Her pheromones hung in the air and I couldn't resist the urge to touch her. Fingers edging under cloth I let them trail up her stomach higher near her ribs. Ivy's red lashes fluttered as she closed her eyes, her body arched into my touch, her skin hot against me. I dipped down to kiss her enjoying the soft moan she made as my tongue slipped past her lips. Heat washing over me I broke the drugged kiss,

"You want to take a bath?" I asked huskily.

"With you?" I nodded, "I'd like that," the redhead said silkily.

Tail fidgeting in my pants I tried to distract myself as she went to undress in the bathroom. _Oh god I shouldn't have thought of that. What if she sees my tail? _I groaned inwardly, _I never think of these things ahead of time. _She ran the water and I grabbed a towel, I turned the dimmer off before I slipped into the warm water. There was no music playing or scented candles burning, I didn't really want Ivy's hair to catch fire. I'm not much of a romantic I know. The only light we had was from the skylight above us, the starlight streaming in. The water went up to my ribs, but it was too dark to see more than my face and maybe the outline of my figure. I didn't think either of us was ready to see each other naked yet, then there was my tail. _I'm still not sure how she'll react to that. _

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><p><strong>Ivy POV<strong>

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><p>"Could you?" I turned my back to her, "I can't reach." I let out a sigh as she poured water over my skin the warmth sank into me, it was hard to keep my heart calm when I thought about the situation.<p>

"Just relax," Selina breathed behind me, heat flooded me when she began to rub creamy soap into the small of my back. The dark haired girl's skin contrasted the cool soap, I shuddered when she massaged away the knots in my back. I couldn't ignore the way her hands curiously trailed across me or her attentiveness to make me feel good. Even if she wasn't trying I wasn't complaining. My heart raced as Selina moved closer to me, her hands teased at my growing need to have her touch me. The way her nails traced my spine had an ache tensing between my legs.

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><p><strong>Selina POV <strong>

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><p>Thankfully I was sitting behind Ivy, she couldn't see my tail swaying excitedly behind me. Her peach tone skin glowed under the starlight, the soft sounds she made when I touched her danced in my ears. Even though I had completely washed her back I couldn't pull away, the need to hear those sounds consuming me. The vibrations of her heartbeat spread up my fingertips as I massaged her shoulders, gently untying knots in her neck. Heat pooled low in my stomach as she leaned into my touch, I kissed her shoulder.<p>

"You okay?" I murmured against her skin, instead of words she responded with a sound of appreciation.

My heart raced when her backside settled in my lap, it was almost painful to keep my tail from brushing by her. All it wanted to do was slip inside her, god knows she wanted it. I shook my head, _I can't assume that. _Resting my head on her shoulder I inhaled her scent, there was a slight scent of soap but her pheromones were burning off her skin. The sweet fragrance had my body aching to touch her, I let my hand ghost across her thighs. Heat flooded my body, I could practically feel her adrenaline, I could sense her curiosity. The overwhelming scent of her arousal was enough incentive for me to continue. Nails skating across her skin one of my hands stayed on her thigh the other retraced a path up and down her spine.

Becoming lost in her reactions I smiled when a blissful sigh escaped Ivy and she trembled. I had found her weak spot. She turned her head, blush had tinted her lightly freckled cheeks,

"Selina," she called lowly. Excitement and anticipation shot up my spine, never had I heard my name so seductively pronounced. The redhead gently brushed my hand off her thigh and turned around to face me.

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><p><strong>Ivy POV<strong>

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><p>The deep hunger that lurked in Selina's stare made the ache inside me burn brighter.<p>

"Yeah?" she breathed, the water sloshed around us as I turned around completely. The dark haired girl let out a small gasp when I started kissing her, her eyelids slid closed when our tongues met. My fingers curled into her soft hair, the slow pace we were moving at had my body aching for her. A moan left my lips when her nails ran down my shoulder blades. I noticed she wasn't pulling me closer but keeping me where I was. I pulled away from the kiss, her hot eyes trailing down my face,

"We both want to," I breathed.

Face warming I continued on boldly,

"Why can't we Selina?"

"I just," one of her hands framed the side of my face, "I don't think I'm ready yet. There are things I have to explain to you before we do anything." Something had the water sloshing behind Selina,

"What was that?"

"It must've been my shampoo," she blurted. _Shampoo doesn't make that sound. _I looked at her incredulously slowly her eyes began to warm into a rich yellow, like a cat's. I brushed her hands off me and moved closer, I framed her face, my heart started to speed when her golden gaze settled on me.

"Selina," I breathed, fear started to fester in her eyes and she turned her head away from me. "No no no," I said lowly against her neck, "It's okay," I kissed up her throat to her ear. "You can explain anything you want tomorrow."

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><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

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><p>I calmed down as she whispered sweet things in my ear, the feel of her lips against my neck lingered. Ivy began kissing me again and I let her, <em>I'll tell her tomorrow, I'll answer all her questions then. <em>The gentle way her lips moved against mine, the way her fingers carded through my hair was very apologetic. _How long have we been in this tub? _At least it had jets that kept the water from cooling down, or we both would've caught a cold by now. An idea popped into my head, I broke away from Ivy's lips,

"Hey, if we get into bed we can do whatever you want," I said hoarsely.

The speed, in which she jumped out of the bathtub, wrapped a towel around herself and sat on the edge of my bed invitingly, left me speechless. You don't know how bad I wanted her then.

"I'll be out in a second," I said before closing the door. Wrapping a towel around myself I drained the tub and leaned against the wall thinking. _If I stall a little longer maybe the combo of her being tired from working out and having had a warm bath- she might just fall asleep._ _Agh, then I have to trust myself to not touch my sleeping half naked girlfriend. _

Heart nearly beating out of my chest I got out of the bathroom and headed for my dresser. Ivy was definitely not sleeping. I slipped on a bra and a pair of shorts, the way she curiously watched me had my skin on fire. _Thank god the lights aren't on. _

"What are you doing?" Ivy asked as she pulled me into her lap, heat danced low in my stomach at the tone of her voice. _She's still in her towel._ Before I could answer her lips were trailing down my throat making me dizzy. Fingers weaving into her red hair I took her clip out, smiling when her wavy locks poured down to her waist. Her usually coy hands curled around my hips and pulled me down on top of her.

Giving in my back bowed when her tongue slid alongside mine, _god you're good at kissing_._We need to- we can't do this yet. _I reluctantly pulled away,

"You're tired Ivy. We need to go to sleep."

"But I'm not," she stretched slowly, "tired." I smiled,

"You want me that bad huh?" Ivy nodded her chocolate eyes aglow, "Well you can get in my pants tomorrow," I chuckled. The redhead underneath me pouted,

"Fine," she yawned. My girlfriend rolled me over and rested her head on my stomach sleepily. Her warmth washed into my chest as she dozed off curling closer to me.

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><p>Once she was dead asleep I carefully got out from under her and went to the bathroom, I came back to find her shivering in her sleep. Quickly I went through my closet looking for a thick blanket, when I found it I looked back at her. <em>She's still asleep. <em>Without looking I peeled the towel off of her and threw the comforter over her. The redhead curled up under the comforter,

"Selina?" she asked lowly. I slid into the bed besides her laying on top of the covers, Ivy hitched a leg over me and cuddled closer.

"You okay?" I asked softly, she nodded.

"I was just thinking," she said sleepily, "I don't like girls, I never have, but I like you. I'd like you even if you were an alien I think," she murmured into my skin.

It was quiet for a little while as I drew circles against her back,

"I like you too."

"Mmm," Ivy nestled her head against my chest her arms curled my waist.

"So you just now started liking me?" I asked curiously. She shook her head,

"That night- parents were fighting, you were there for me Selina," she said softly. "That's when I knew." Her soft brown eyes looked up at me nearly making my heart stop completely. Soon she laid her head back down nestling her face against my chest, a sweet smile playing at her lips.

"I see you have a strange obsession with my chest- sorry I'm so flat," I chuckled lowly.

"I still like holding you," she said. My heart caught fire, _I'm lucky to have someone like you. _I pulled her closer my throat closing with emotion,

"Night Ivy," I whispered. She relaxed in my arms, snoring softly by the time I fell asleep.

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><p><em><strong>AN;**_ These chapters keep getting bigger, but with good reason. I have to stay away from this site for a week and a half or so because of college forms. Hope you enjoy.


	10. Difficult Secrets

_**Disclaimer:**_ **I do not own any part of Batman. **

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><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

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><p>Sunlight streamed into my room and the smell of bacon had me tumbling out of bed. Stretching my arms I smiled when I saw the redhead in the kitchen, wearing my clothes. Her long hair was up in a loose bun, she hummed when I coiled my arms around her waist.<p>

"Morning," she said with a smile. Still sleepy I sat down at the table and the two of us ate quietly. I noticed her subtle sideways glances as I finished eating, it all reminded me of the promise I had made last night.

"Are you trying to seduce me via bacon? How do you know my second greatest weakness?"

Her brown eyes glittered with amusement,

"I know because I am your greatest weakness," she joked. Her correct assumption made my face warm, it got quiet for a minute.

"I'm guessing you want that explanation now?" Ivy nodded,

"Can we go over to my house though? It's been awhile since you've stayed over there," she trailed off. _She's back to being shy I see. She just wants me in __**her **__bed. _

"You mean you want to rub it in your parents' faces that were secretly going out?" I grinned. She nodded, "I like the way you think. Wait; is your bedroom window open?"

My girlfriend looked at me curiously after she nodded,

"Come on then." I took her hand and lead her up the stairs,

"Selina the front door is that way," she motioned confused. As soon as we were in my room I opened my window up wide, before she could object I picked her up bridal style and ran toward the window. The teen gasped when I jumped the twenty-five foot gap, her arms wrapped around my neck. Even though we landed smoothly, not even knocking over one of her potted plants, she was trying to catch her breath. Tendrils of her ruby colored hair glittered against the sunlight as they fell back into place, her clip had fallen out. Her quick breathing filled my mind like a melody, Ivy's brown doe eyes looked up into mine.

Her lips parted but she remained speechless, I kissed her softly as I let her feet touch the carpet. After a minute she pulled away and playfully pushed me away,

"What is up with you and not using doors?" I sat on her bed,

"Well, if we did _that _I didn't want it to be unceremonious. You mean more to me than that." Her freckled cheeks tinted pink as she sat next to me,

"Uh-, about _that,_ sorry I tried to jump you yesterday," she said sheepishly.

"It wasn't that bad," I smirked, "Remember I stopped you because I had to." I turned to her, "By the way is it just me or did you suddenly become more- assertive?"

That question had my girlfriend's blush deepening,

"Well I-I, you see that lip balm there?" she pointed at something that seemed to have nothing to do with what I asked. Ivy grabbed the small yellow tin and opened it up, revealing the creamy paste inside. "This contains plant oils and extracts. When applied to the lips the chemicals inside react with our nervous system. The compounds set off certain responses," I looked at her feeling extremely dull in comparison, "selected neurotransmitters are released into the synaptic cleft." She looked up at me and saw how lost I had become, she shook her head, "I'm not too good with physiology sorry. The balm had that effect on the applied and the kissed," she ended lowly.

_All that to get in bed with me? You didn't need to try that hard you could've just smiled and- wait. _Then it hit me,

"Ivy, you made this?" I asked astonished. She nodded shyly, "That's amazing," I said in awe.

"It was a good confidence boost, so," she sat back in her bed, "What is this fantastic explanation?" My face suddenly got hot and anxiety started gnawing at my thoughts, _what if she thinks I'm a freak? What if she breaks up with me? _I got up and closed the blinds, I stood nervously by the doorway of her closet. _She'll find out anyway, might as well get this done with. _

I awkwardly started fumbling with my belt that had been easy to undo before, Ivy sat up,

"Please don't tell me it's a tattoo in a regrettable place." I shook my head and let out a laugh, it eased my nerves a bit.

"So you know that syndrome where you have a long tailbone?" I asked my hands were trembling as they clung onto the edge of my jeans. Ivy said a very long technical word I could never pronounce, "I have that." Her eyes widened slightly,

"You have a tail?" she asked curiously, "how long have you had it?"

"Since birth," I said in a rush.

"And your parents didn't get it removed?" her question had knots retying in the pit of my stomach.

"There were a bunch of nerves wrapped around it," I said defensively, "I probably would've been paralyzed if they had tried."

My hands curled tighter around my waistband, noticing how tense I was Ivy spoke soothingly,

"Can I see it?" Her soft brown eyes connected with mine, I let my pants fall into a heap on the floor. Still I reluctantly curled my tail tight behind me and held onto my arm feeling extremely vulnerable. _Please, please just don't look at me differently. _Mustering up all my courage I sat in her lap and let my tail uncoil. Ivy turned me a bit, I prepared for the worst when I heard her gasp, "I've never seen anything like this! I mean it has fur- when did it grow fur?" she asked intrigued.

"When I was going through puberty it just happened," I heard the low sound she made when my tail coiled around her wrist.

"Are you moving it?" Ivy asked.

"Yeah, but sometimes I can't control it," I paused until she faced me, "That's why I wanted to wait." Clarity broke over her,

"Oh," she said softly, "It doesn't make me want you any less," she beamed. _Thank god. _My heart raced, "Though I do appreciate the warning," she smiled. Pressure on my chest evaporated and I let out a relived sigh, "It's so soft," Ivy said smoothly as her fingers ran the length of my tail, I shifted as heat pooled into my stomach.

The longer her hand lingered the more light-headed I felt, excitement shot up my spine when she pulled me down on top of her. My back bowed and my arms went weak at the feel of her curious caress,

"Ivy," I breathed.

"Hmm?" she asked before her lips trailed down my throat, _oh yes. _An ache tensed between my legs as her mouth worked against mine. My fingers weaved into her thick curls, the sweet taste of her danced on my tongue. I broke away for a second my lips felt like sandpaper compared to hers. I let my fingertips skate across the balm and put it on my lips.

The fire that had awakened inside me forced me up straight, everything around Ivy became a blur of color. Want churned in her chocolate gaze,

"You forgot didn't you?" In a flash my mouth was on hers, heart racing my hand trailed up her chest. The redhead sighed into my mouth as I touched her, Ivy's legs spread welcomingly as my tail flicked between her thighs. Cheeks flushed my girlfriend looked up at me as it rubbed against her through her pants more aggressively, air caught in her throat. She gasped and gently tried to brush it away as we kissed, "Not that, not _now_ at least," she panted.

"Okay," I breathed as she pulled away; I forced my tail to instead coil around her wrist.

Her hands ghosted up and down my sides, she sat up and gently turned me around. Hand curiously going up my shirt her fingers skated across my skin, I felt like I was melting when her tongue slid along side mine.

"Ivy," I said breathlessly, the ache inside me started throbbing, desperately seeking attention.

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><p><strong>Ivy POV<strong>

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><p>Intense need boiled in her gorgeous yellow eyes, her smooth skin was hot against me. Selina made soft sounds as I continued to caress her, her head lolled onto my shoulder as I decorated her neck with love bites. My girlfriend trembled when my hand headed south teasing at the waistband of her underwear. With no complaint from her I let my fingers trace a path against the thin cloth. Heat flooded my body when she leaned into my touch, a deep purring sound filled my thoughts. Warmth sank low into my stomach when Selina spread her legs in anticipation. <em>I've never done anything like this, but I want to. <em>The seductive sounds my girlfriend was making dowsed any of my doubt setting fire to my thoughts.

Hitching underneath the material my thumb slowly swept across her nub, she let out a soft moan. Turning, her pleading eyes met mine before her fierce kiss took me over, my hand slipped under the waistband. I could feel her heart race as my fingers prodded into lava like heat, Selina broke away breathing against my lips,

"Please," she murmured, almost chanted until I sank deeper. Drunk in the feel of her insides caressing me I could hardly focus when I heard her watery moan. Her hand wrapped around my forearm and I began to thrust into her. Dark brows pinching together slightly she panted, long black lashes guarded her molten gold eyes.

Her excitement coated my fingers and the pace quickened, Selina's tongue sought out mine hungrily. Suddenly she tightened around me, her head fell back onto my shoulder,

"Ivy," Selina begged. Mind set on fire at the sound of her voice I rubbed against that spot mercilessly. Fingers now glistening I started to crook my fingers inside her, back arching she groaned lustfully. Lost in the sensations Selina didn't notice the vines that had crept out of the potted plants and wrapped around her ankles in order to steady her quivering legs. Heat surrounding me I smiled when her full lips parted wordlessly, her choppy black hair stuck to her skin with sweat. "Fuck," she rasped her body began to pull me in like a whirlpool.

The dark-haired girl let out a whimper as I sucked at her throat, I watched in awe over her shoulder as her toes twitched. _You like that? _Her bright eyes slammed shut and her tail squirmed still tightly wrapped around my wrist, I inched in farther. Selina made a faint choking sound before she started to ride my fingers. Her mouth-watering moans filled the room, **my **room wonderfully. Closing in around me her knees shook,

"Ivy," she moaned. Taking her chin I softly kissed her as she became undone, happily swallowing her blissful sighs. The vines retreated and hid away while she was distracted. After a few minutes I slid out of her and she rolled over to kneel in front of me.

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>My throat went dry as her dark eyes focused on her fingertips, <em>is she going-? <em>Residual heat throbbed between my legs as she stared at her fingers and I imagined her sucking on them. I felt my face get hot as her eyes lowered, _I could watch you all day. _Suddenly remembering where she was the redhead came back to reality, sat back and gave me a flirty smile. Feeling my face flush I turned away and tried to smooth my sex tousled hair back to simply disheveled.

"Sorry," Ivy chuckled,

"God don't apologize," I blurted. _Jeez my face is on fire. _I was still somewhat in a haze, but I felt a little self-conscious. No one had ever seen me relatively naked, touched me or made me feel like putty in their hands.

Ivy had accomplished all of that in one try, and I didn't mind it. It's just my mind had been wired to think I was always going to be in control, it would take some time getting used to.

"You alright?" Ivy's voice blanketed my skin with warmth,

"Yeah," I breathed.

"I've never seen you so shy," she smiled leaning closer to me, "Was it that good?" Swaying behind me my tail gave me away, I nodded quietly, her hand framed my face for a moment. "Your eyes, they change color- that's in your genetics too?" she asked curiously. I nodded again not able to form sentences yet, I closed the space between us slowly, my eyes focused on her pink lips.

A surge of confidence took me over and I had her on her back, kissing down her throat. The heavy scent of her arousal had my heart beating faster, _you smell so sweet. _

"Take off your pants," I murmured into her skin. The redhead did as I said, her fingers curled into my short hair as I unbuttoned her green shirt. A smile crept onto my face when I heard her rapid heart beneath my lips as they trailed down her breastbone to her stomach.

"What are you going to do?" she asked so softly I was surprised I heard her. _It's a surprise. _

"You'll like it," I said huskily.

"I don't doubt that," she breathed. Ivy arched into my touch as my hands ghosted down her stomach, she let out a small moan when I sucked on a patch of skin on her hip. Her hold on my hair tightened, "Don't tease," she grumbled.

_Tease? _A gasp filled the room when I swiftly pulled her underwear off, I looked up to see her gaze down at me, her eyes a little wide. She was scared.

"I'll make sure you're taken care of," I smirked.

"Don't be so cocky," air caught in her throat when I pressed my lips against her. My girlfriend's words turned into incoherent murmuring as my tongue brushed against her, soon she winded down. The taste of her danced in my senses, the soft sounds she made urged me on.

* * *

><p><strong>Ivy POV<strong>

* * *

><p>Excitement shot up my spine when her tongue slid inside me, I could feel moans bubbling in my lungs, her hot breath washing into me. Her twisting tongue stole my breath away, heart racing I could hardly breathe. <em>How did she learn-?<em> A whine slipped out of me when she spread my legs a bit more, my fingers became knotted in her hair. My body flushed with heat as she pulled me down until my thigh rested on her shoulder. Head falling back onto the pillow I tried to hold back the needy sounds trying to escape. The flowers by the windowsill began to unfold and came alive like sea anemones. Electricity fried my mind when her slick tongue playfully swept across my nub, a soft moan finally past my lips. I would've been embarrassed at the thought that I made that sound hadn't my mind been turning to mush.

Consumed by the sensations I panted as her sweet mouth enveloped that bundle of raw nerves. The ache tensed and quivered just beyond Selina's tongue, my skin caught fire when she started to suck. She had me muttering like a lunatic, I was trying to tell her not to stop, that I needed more.

"Don't," I moaned, "more- please." The slick friction of her wiggling inside of me had stars dancing behind my eyelids. I couldn't see past the fog of pleasure that wrapped around me, I looked down to see her jet black tail swaying happily. Accidentally I took hold of it, the dark-haired girl became more aggressive and she sank farther into me. A river of lava churned deep inside me.

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>Overwhelmed by her taste I hungrily pushed on, suddenly her ankles dug into my back. My tongue became lost in her body's caress.<p>

"Se-Selina," she cried out tightening around me. Before I could forget I took hold of her thighs, Ivy tensed and her nectar trickled down into my mouth. Wave after wave of pleasure crashed over her and I was glad to clean her up. Smile burning on my lips I pulled away to look up at her. Ruby colored hair framed her face, aglow she was panting as she tried to catch her breath. Ivy's freckled skin seemed to glow in the half-light, soon her red lashes fluttered and revealed hypnotic lime colored eyes.

A sexy half out of it smile curled her lips, the smell of her skin and flowers dominated the room. I looked around the room nonchalantly, many of- all of her flowering plants had bloomed. _When did that? When I came in they hadn't blossomed yet. _Ivy gazed at me curiously when I turned back to her, I couldn't fight the urge to get closer to her. Climbing over her I dipped down to kiss her neck, in the back of my mind I was still wary of her eyes.

"How did you learn how to do that?" she asked softly. The redhead let out a faint sigh when I continued to suck on her throat,

"Like this," I murmured.

Her eyes faded into a hazel color, she smiled,

"I want a refund," she joked lightheartedly.

"Aw," my hand trailed down her torso, "I'm sorry," I nipped at her collarbone and she shivered in response. "I'll do better next time."

"Mm," she breathed, "next time."

After a half hour of laying like that she flipped me onto my back and straddled me. My eyes took in all of her exposed smooth skin and the thin button-up that clothed her. I cleared my throat slightly,

"So are we gonna talk about the flowers blooming and your eyes?" Ivy cocked her head a little, her fingertips skated across my shirt, her chocolate eyes were lost in thought.

"Soon," she said lowly. She looked back down at me, "I'll tell you next time." _Next time when?_ The thought buzzed in my mind, and then I answered it quickly. It was hard for me to form a thought as she started to strip away the shirt she wore. _I should be careful when I use that stuff, it practically made Ivy into some sex goddess. _

My mind nearly exploded when she shrugged my shirt off, the bar she wore was dark and lacy, I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"We all have secrets don't we?" I asked before I lost it. Red hair brushed my face as she leaned in to kiss me, her chest flush against mine. Behind the love and the want I could see the glittering worry in her eyes. My girlfriend had accepted the fact I had a functioning tail, she had nothing to be afraid of.

"Yes we do," Ivy said against my lips. I held her close as we kissed, finally hours later it seemed the balm had worn off completely. After covering her up I laid besides her and watched her sleep. Light poured through a crack in the blinds and a burgundy orchid turned fiery.

_What are you hiding?_


	11. Coming Out

_**Disclaimer:**_** I do not own any part of Batman.**

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><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>It was Monday and I had just driven Ivy to my house after school had gotten out. For the last few days it had been hard for me to stay away from her, senior year started in a week and I felt like I couldn't get enough time with her. The redhead sighed into my mouth as we kissed, we were somewhere in the laundry room near the back of my house. I couldn't have her in my room, I had a feeling my parents would come up to check on me. My hands pushed her skirt up over her knees as her fingers weaved into my hair, pulling me closer. Because it was humid in the room she pulled her blazer off and tossed it on the ground from where she sat on the dryer.<p>

Somewhere in the house I heard footsteps, but since they weren't nearby I ignored them. Every once in a while I would catch sight of Ivy's mystical emerald eyes, a chill shot up my spine. She still hadn't told me why that happened when I was with her, but I could wait for her. A little out of breath from kissing I chuckled when Ivy hungrily tugged at my belt,

"Hey," I smiled. _That balm stuff obviously had some lasting side effects. _I felt gravity evaporating as her soft lips met mine, knees edging closer to my hips she let out a sigh as my fingertips skated across her thigh. The redhead pulled away and her lips trailed down my throat crossing over old hickies. _I could do this all day. _

Someone cleared their throat loudly making Ivy freeze and hide her face behind me. Hard grey eyes connected with mine, I sighed and hung my head. _I forgot that door has no knob._

"Hey mom," I muttered, she stood in the doorway holding a full laundry basket with her hand on her hip.

"What are you doing in the _laundry room_?" she asked seriously.

"Nothing now," I said, my face got hot as I slid my hand out from under Ivy's skirt. Hopefully she would leave soon, I felt terrible for my girlfriend. _I don't think I'm ready to have this conversation._

"Well then," she huffed, "I'm sorry but she," she motioned to the redhead hiding behind me, "has to go home."

"Well," I started, "she can't just leave. You see her parents kind of sort of hate me, so-."

That caught my mom's attention,

"Hate you? Why?" I shrugged my shoulders and continued,

"They'll ground her forever if they see her leaving."

"Does she have a name?"

"This person dying from embarrassment is my girlfriend Ivy, Ivy this is my mom."

"Hello," Ivy said awkwardly still sheepishly hiding behind me. My mother shifted her and made the atmosphere tense,

"Girlfriend?" she asked putting down the laundry and crossing her arms across her chest. I stiffened shielding the redhead once her tone changed, I thought keeping the subject light would keep her from freaking out.

"Yes," I said calmly looking her straight in the eyes, I had to tread carefully I wasn't sure how she would react.

"How long have you been together?" she asked in a flat tone,

"A little over two months." Her eyes were like unforgiving concrete and I knew Ivy didn't want to be in the middle of this. Lips in a tight line she was quiet for a minute or two.

* * *

><p>"So you're gay now?" she asked skeptically,<p>

"I've always liked girls," I tried to not get defensive.

"Well this is news to me," she pinched the bridge of her nose, "does your father know?"

"Yeah," I said nervously, _although he really just made the right assumption. _

"Damn it," my mom ran a hand through her hair and made us both flinch. "Why did you tell him and not me? Why did you keep this from me?" she asked sounding hurt.

"Uh, I didn't really tell him he just knew. You two never wanted boys in my room, because you didn't want me pregnant. So, I just assumed you guys would freak out-."

"Honey we didn't want those boys in the house, it didn't matter which room they were in. All they ever do is clean out our fridge and wreck the place." _Wow, that makes sense now._

"I was afraid you were going to disown me or something," I said honestly, having had nightmares in the past of that very real possibility. My girlfriend's hand swept across my back comfortingly,

"I'm not some monster!" my mother huffed, "I would never do that to you."

"So you- you're okay with me being gay?" I asked, _I have to make sure. Coming out is harder than this, right? If she isn't okay with this I don't want her pretending she is. _The brunette shrugged her shoulders,

"Whoever you decide to love, you're still my daughter," she smiled as she slipped out of the room.

I let out a sigh and Ivy held my hand,

"Thank god," I said to myself,

"She took that well," my girlfriend beamed. The redhead hopped off the dryer and wrapped her arms around my neck. Her heartbeat echoed in my mind and I relaxed into her embrace coiling my arms around her waist. I looked down into her eyes, smiling when she smiled, _will you stay with me? _Suddenly my mom popped her head into the room,

"Oh yeah and whatever _**that **_was I walked in on, keep that in your room, when we aren't home, after you get married."

I chuckled,

"Why am I still living here if I'm married?" I laughed. She left the room with a smug look on her face and I could only imagine how red Ivy's face was.

* * *

><p><strong>Mom POV<strong>

* * *

><p>I was in the master bedroom folding clothes when I heard my daughter's voice,<p>

"It's not like someone's going to get pregnant!" Selina hollered, my husband beside me almost choked on his water blushing profusely.

"Just had to burst down those closet doors, didn't you?"

"There's another way?" I could practically hear her grinning. _That's my Selina alright, never going to change for anyone. _

* * *

><p><em>Thursday Night<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>I couldn't sleep. One it was ungodly hot inside the house and two I could feel knots in my stomach. <em>Summer is slipping away, <em>I stared up at the stars that twinkled millions of miles away. The entire neighborhood was asleep, all my nerves honed in on the way the breeze sank beneath my clothes and ran across my skin. The trees rustled in the darkness, _maybe me and Ivy moved too fast. We should have waited to have sex. I mean after years of feeling lonely we both finally found someone. It was bound to happen. Still, _the same thoughts had swirled in my head lately; I really hadn't taken her out at all. _I'm a horrible girlfriend. _

It wasn't that I didn't want to take her out, I really did. I could handle with the dirty looks and snarky comments other people would make, but was Ivy ready for that? Was she able to be _out_ with me? I didn't want her to look back at this summer and only remember when we were in bed and not when we were hanging out. I wanted to get to know her better, to treat her right, to make her happy. _And at the moment I don't feel like I'm accomplishing any of that, _I huffed as I laid on the roof. I wasn't making her unhappy or treating her badly, I just felt like I should do more for her.

_That's it, when school starts I'm going to ask her to go out with me, to date me. There's so much more to being a relationship than physical stuff, I want to be her friend first and her girlfriend second. _After having that sudden epiphany I stared up at the sky as it grew even darker.

* * *

><p><em>Three Hours Later<em>

* * *

><p>I yawned, the stars in the distance became blurry as I got tired. Skin turning to fire a sweet scent wrapped around my mind, <em>Ivy. <em>I looked over the edge of the roof and into her window. Her room was perfectly lit by starlight for my super sensitive eyes, I lowered myself onto my stomach and peered into her room. Soft sounds danced in my ears, my heart pounded harder in my chest. The redhead's hand was under the covers, want boiled deep inside me at the wonderful sight. Her head fell back, a long moan passing her lips as her brows pinched together. Hair fanned out on her pillow and face flushed her brown eyes slowly opened, her gaze cloudy with emotion.

Suddenly I froze when I thought she had seen me, my girlfriend's eyes flared green before slamming shut. Her pace quickened, Ivy's expression softened as her hips arched off the bed slightly.

"Please," she moaned stretching her legs out. Ripples of heat crashed over my body, I itched to feel her soft skin. Sweat glistened on her peach tone skin and my heart was racing in my chest, my tail swayed behind me. Her eyelashes fluttered and revealed her lime colored eyes, my face instantly got hot. _Oh god this isn't what it looks like. _But Ivy didn't close her blinds or scold me or seem surprised at all. _She knew I was watching. _

Trying to live up to my oath to take things slow this time around I reluctantly slid back into my room. I shut the window and closed the curtains behind me trying to steady my breathing.

I tried to go to sleep but the image of Ivy kept replaying behind my eyelids. _Good girlfriends don't jump their girlfriends, we have to take it slow, slow doesn't include fantasizing about your girlfriend Selina. Go to sleep. God you even talk to yourself in your thoughts. Sleep, sleep, sleep, don't think about Ivy touching herself, sleep. Sleep, sleep you weirdo. _After awhile sleep finally took me over.

* * *

><p><em>Friday Morning<em>

* * *

><p>My pillow was suddenly kidnapped,<p>

"It's time to wake up," a man said loudly.

"Jeez dad I only went to bed five hours ago," I grumbled, "Why am I up again?"

"Back to school shopping of course," he said cheerfully. I groaned inwardly,

"No no we are not doing that again, we always buy the same crap every year."

"I know, but there is no _we_, you are going to go buy some supplies for yourself." I gave him a glare but he ignored me,

"Well I have to go to work Selina, I'll be checking if you actually bought anything." As soon as he left I went to sleep for another three hours, which was a mistake.

By the time I got to the store it was crowded with screaming kids and their stressed out parents. I got a small hand basket and searched for basic supplies, trying to dodge running children and not run into aisles. _Alright what classes do I have? English, P.E., Civics, and T.A. Why am I even here? _I grabbed two notebooks and a crap load of mechanical pencils, I usually either ended up letting too many people _borrow_ them or somehow lost them all within the first week. At the end of a massive line I decided to grab some more stuff for good measure, some highlighters and erasers. What seemed like eternity later I got to the register, my ears were ringing and I was a second away from getting a full-blown migraine. _Am I in a Toys 'R Us? _

I got out of there right as they announced an eighty percent off sale, the parents swarmed to the expensive supplies like zombies after brains. When I got in my car it finally sank in, _I'm going back to school in two days_. I rested my head on the steering wheel, a scowl on my face once I remembered what the word homework meant. Even with that a smile curled my lips, _at least I have a girlfriend now._


	12. Class Time

_**Disclaimer:**_** I do not own any part of Batman.**

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>Alarm blaring far away I stared up at the ceiling for a few minutes. I glanced at the calendar that hung on the wall, <em>August 15. Summer went by fast. <em>I got out of bed and started to change like it was any other day. I guess it took 11 years of first day anxiety for it to end. I didn't feel anxious or apprehensive, school had stayed exactly the same, and so had the students. I brushed my teeth and went through my morning routine. _Then again we have new freshmen now, I wonder how short they are this year?_ I chuckled to myself as I swung my backpack over my shoulder and went down the stairs. Heading to my car I felt someone's eyes on me as I got into the driver's side.

Ten or so yards away Ivy's dad glared at me before he slid into his beige sedan. Since he was still staring at me through the mirror I had to fight the urge to smile when the redhead stepped out of her house. I drove ahead of them; school was three miles northwest from where we were. The traffic light in front of me turned red,

"If I even see you talking to that girl-," I heard Ivy's dad growl.

"You won't, I don't even have any classes with her. I've stayed away from her like you asked," Ivy said calmly from the passenger seat.

"Still," he grumbled, "I don't want someone like her even on the same campus as you."

_Well I don't want an asshole like you in the same house as her, I guess we all can't get what we want. _A few minutes later I pulled into the school parking lot, a lot of underclassmen and even some teachers turned and stared at my car as I got out and locked it. I had forgotten that aside a few of the staff's expensive cars mine would stick out among the white and silver beaters. Once inside the dreary main building I took the stairs up to the second floor. It was almost weird how familiar every inch of the school had become to me. _Now it's dreary and cozy at the same time. Alright first period, _I rummaged through my pockets to find my schedule, _room 210 should be on the left side- near the end of the hallway near the other stairwell. _

The one thing I loved about the main building were the long hallways, with the number of stairwells we had they were never really cramped. I walked past a group of girls talking about their summers and gossiping. How do I know they were gossiping you might ask? They all looked like the type, wore too much make up, talked in text speech and of course- they were freshmen. Seniors had no time to deal with drama anymore, that's why we usual disliked them so much. It was all they created. Near the end of the hall I looked up at the sign above the green door, _210. Hello civics, I can't say I'm excited to meet you. _I checked the clock on the wall,

"Only seven-ten? I am here way too early," I grumbled.

Suddenly I was ambushed by teenage boys via tackle hugs, well one teenage boy,

"Jeez Cat had to go and disappear on us all summer," Kenny sniffled.

"Kenny let me go," I wheezed, "No surprise hugs anymore- please." I caught my breath when he let me go, Tommy the tallest of us smoothed back his black hair,

"She didn't abandon us Ken. Think about it," his dark eyes glittered with amusement, "She replaced us. I mean what would you rather have? Two guys and brotime or a really cute girl to hang out with?"

"A cute girl," the three boys agreed. I turned to see another black haired boy walking up to us,

"I haven't seen you in months," Dick said. "Did I just overhear what I think I did? Selina's pretty cute," he gave me a fake wink.

"Ugh Richard oh how your flattery disturbs me," I said in a dramatic voice. We all laughed for a bit,

"Oh yeah- so you and that redhead are dating right? You're together?" Tommy asked curiously. I felt my cheeks get warm,

"Yeah."

"So what have you guys been doing all this time?" he asked teasingly.

"Hanging out," I blurted, _we are not talking about my sex life ever. _Kenny arched a brow dramatically,

"So that's what the kids are calling it these days?"

"You are all idiots, well not you Dick, you're pretty smart," I ignored the rest of them. "I don't ask you guys about what you do with your girlfriends."

"That's because we don't have any," Kenny and Tommy said cheekily.

"It would creep you out Selina," Dick chuckled, "I'm a boy remember?"

"Well- keep your questions to yourself," I said lowly as my teacher opened the door, "I have to go to class."

"So do we," the blonde said as the three teenagers followed me into my civics class. As soon as I sat down in the back they boxed me in,

"You'll crack eventually, we have 45 minutes in here," Tommy yawned. _Why can't they just ask me how we are doing as a couple? _

"Hello class," the teacher said once most of the students had poured in, "I know- I know it's a Monday and it's your first day back but I still have to pass out the syllabus," the class groaned in unison.

After going over the paper he went on to introduce himself, gave us his life story and ended with a lecture. Had it been a Tuesday, I would've listened. It was sad how uninterested everyone was, but he had to be used to that by now. Dick's knee bumped into mine and a folded note laid on the edge of my desk. It read, _so really, how are you guys doing?_ he wrote in neat cursive, I scribbled back to him. _Her parents hate me, I hate them, but we're doing okay. Sometimes I just think we moved too fast. _He nodded knowingly as he read my step above chicken scratch,

"What about you and your allusive girlfriend?" I whispered. Dick frowned in response,

"You know she goes to a private school and I hardly get to see her," he said lowly so the others wouldn't hear. I was the only one who knew how badly he was lying. In fact his crush was a guy, who was a few years older than us that trained him. I never really asked what kind of training they did. But from the look on his face I knew he felt invisible to the guy.

Then again this was just my radar, maybe Dick really only liked girls, but for the entire time I had known him I had never seen him have a girlfriend. Time had passed and the teacher was taking attendance to make sure no one had snuck out during his interesting autobiography.

"Thomas Bronson?" he called,

"Here," Tommy said.

"Richard Grayson?"

"Here," Dick said as he started to pack up.

"Kenneth Jade?"

"Present," Kenny said and the entire class snickered.

"A here will suffice Kenny, Selina Kyle?"

"Here," I said, he went on with roll call and the bell rang.

* * *

><p>I made my way to the science class I had been assigned to be a T.A. for. Like any other class room all the student's heads seemed to turn once I opened the door.<p>

"Sorry," I said quietly to the teacher before sitting in the wheelie chair next to the computer in the corner. The class, from what I had heard was an advanced class, I didn't know which one, but I would be grading regular Biology papers instead. Because the teacher didn't have another T.A. or something and didn't want a student grading AP stuff. Which I was perfectly alright with.

Before staring the lesson the woman opened the blinds up more at the back of the class, I smiled when I saw beautiful ruby colored hair glittering in the sunlight. Ivy was wearing an indigo colored turtle neck and dark jeans, a cute loose beanie topped her head.

"Ms. Isley," the teacher motioned for her to take off her hat.

"Oh sorry," my girlfriend said sheepishly. Soon the teacher started talking about- more syllabi or whatever and they eventually took some notes on the grading scale. I couldn't help but smile when she placed a few strands of her wavy hair behind her ear, I shifted in the wheelie chair. My heart started beating faster when her brown eyes washed over me.

* * *

><p><strong>Ivy POV <strong>

* * *

><p>Bright green eyes found mine from the corner of the classroom, <em>Selina's my- the T.A.? <em>A smile curled on my lips, as usual she was dressed in her tomboyish clothes. She was wearing a gray sweater vest, a black long sleeved shirt under that and jersey shorts. _Jeez you must like black as much as you like me. _I bit my bottom lip in an attempt to stop smiling, my girlfriend was a few feet away from me resting her head on her arms adorably. It felt like I hadn't seen her in forever. Like a rebel she had her hood on until the teacher plucked it off her head,

"And you would be mister-?" she asked curiously.

"Kyle," she murmured sleepily. The woman went back to her computer and checked the names,

"Alright, you're the T.A., so- Kyle. Selina?" the class began to laugh, "Oh I'm sorry I just didn't-."

"No it's alright I get that a lot," the dark haired girl waved her off. I packed my stuff away as the bell rang.

I waited for her when I heard her jogging up to me with a practically empty backpack,

* * *

><p>"Hey," she smiled while trying to catch her breath.<p>

"Hi," I looked around to make sure no one was around and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Oh you shouldn't have done that. I have this gorgeous girlfriend and I don't think she would appreciate that," Selina joked. I playfully pushed her away from me,

"How many classes do you have?" I asked.

"Oh me? Four," she walked besides me, "What? Why are you making that face?"

"You are so lucky, I have six," I pouted,

"Well that's because you're smart. Smart people always have a lot of classes," she shrugged.

"Still, it means I can't hang out with you after school," I said softly. Amusement danced in her green eyes,

"You could always drop a class, I doubt you need the credits. You do remember we live right next to each other right?" I nodded,

"But that's different, I mean I have to look out for my parents at home." Selina looked at me knowingly,

"I gotta go," I nodded as she headed off to her next class.

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV <strong>

* * *

><p>I headed into the main gym and we went through the same uniform and grading scale spiel before we got to choose classes. There were four choices <em>football, dance, acrobatics,and kickboxing. <em>I automatically knew which class I was getting,

"Seniors go first," one of the teachers hollered, I waved at Dick when I saw him across the gym signing up for acrobatics, being one of the two boys in the entire line. I had the same situation in the kickboxing line. Not to my surprise I saw Karen Starr signing up for dance class with the rest of her friends, her cold glare found me glancing over at her. _Great. This is fantastic. Well at least she isn't in my class_ , most of the underclassmen signed up for football or dance.

After staring out the window the bell rung and I went off to my English class and sat for another 45 minutes. Finally lunch time started and I went to sit on the grass by the tree we always ate at, I found Kenny and Tommy already there munching on their sandwiches. I waved at Ivy when I saw her eating her salad a few tables away from me, she looked like her boredom level was peaking like mine. I didn't mean to jump at the thought of ditching my friends during lunch, I just-I could talk to them whenever.

"I'm gonna head home," I said quickly,

"Leaving us again?" Tommy smirked, "Go, go do whatever it is you want to do."

"Our little girl is all grown up," Kenny pretended to cry, Tommy shook his head,

"There are a lot of things wrong about that statement, first there is no _we _Kenny," he went on as I nonchalantly followed her towards the back of the school.

A weird sensation brewed in my chest when I remembered I couldn't just hold her hand like I had imagined. I mean I could, but that would be selfish. If Ivy didn't want to come out she didn't have to, _as unhealthy as that is. _I just hoped one day she would, so we didn't have to hide our affection. I mean I had seen other straight couples two seconds from conceiving a baby in public lots of times. And all I wanted to do was hold her hand.

"Hey," I called to her,

"This feels like déjà vu right now," she chuckled.

"In a few weeks I'm going to take you on a proper date," I said proudly, "And you are going to like it!"

"What do you have planned?" she asked curiously.

"Well I don't know, even if I did that would take all the surprise out of it now wouldn't it?" The bell rang and she had to head to her next class, "I'll see you at home." Her cheeks flushed an adorable shade of pink,

"Bye Selina," she said before leaving.

* * *

><p><em>A week later<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>I was changing out of my street clothes and into my P.E. uniform when I heard a girl sneer,<p>

"God now I'm stuck in the locker room with _her. _Why do they even let lesbos in here?" It was Karen Starr, a senior like me, but unlike me she had large _assets_ that made her one of the most popular girls in school. Well that and she had some sort of problem with me, or gays in general I'm not sure which. I had been really good at ignoring her snide remarks since well, since forever. She didn't _really _know I was into girls, she was just a bitch. "I feel gross knowing she's staring at me," she grumbled to her friends at the end of the rows. Granted calling her well endowed was an understatement, had I not known how love really felt like with Ivy, had I only wanted to have sex I would've thought about her. But I didn't.

"Don't flatter yourself," a pixie of a blonde said from behind me, facing Karen, "Even if someone likes girls doesn't mean they're into bitches Karen." I whirled around to look at the mystery girl, her blue eyes flashed over to mine, she was about my height but she had the physique of a nymph. On the other hand Karen Starr was an amazon; she stood at about 5'10 and had been the captain of the girl's wrestling team. In short she could squish the smaller blonde girl like a bug. _Nice cheeky girl, it's a shame I don't know you, I have a feeling we would get along. _

"What did you say?" Karen barked, "Huh? You must have balls to think you can talk to me that way," the blonde turned the corner and faced the girl without a name.

"Oh really? I have balls? Have you been down there lately?" she stepped closer to her unflinchingly, "because that sounds awfully hypocritical of you Starr, getting in a girl's pants." You should have seen the way Karen eyes darkened, like she was about to snap her in half, just when the teacher walked in with her clipboard handy. I couldn't help my smiling.

"Is there a problem here ladies?" she asked incredulously, eyes especially focused on the amazon.

"No ma'am," the girl said before turning to dress, Karen still stood there, her friends were on the other side of the row of lockers. I turned back to do the same.

* * *

><p><strong>? POV<strong>

* * *

><p>The tall blonde still stood there, infuriated eyes washing over my skin as I pulled my shirt over my shoulders slowly,<p>

"You gonna watch me all day Starr?" I asked flirtatiously, just to irk her. I knew how insanely strong the girl in front of me was, that's partly why I defended the dark haired girl. I knew Karen would hold back unless she wanted to explain to the teacher how I magically got a broken arm.

"Come on hustle, class has already started, don't make me mark you tardy," our teacher hollered. Then I went off to my acrobatics class, and I watched the other girl walk into a room full of boys,

"She's in kickboxing class?" I asked curiously. I suddenly realized it, "Oh I know that girl, her names Selina I think," I murmured to myself. I had seen her a week or so before talking to Ivy, which meant I couldn't let boobzilla harass her. I saw another somewhat familiar face, it was Dick Grayson in the corner stretching, but when his dark blue eyes connected with mine he scowled. For some reason he didn't like me, but then again I really didn't like him either.

I looked up at the rings as the teacher took attendance,

"Harleen Quinzel?"

"Here," I waved my arm dramatically and sat up straight.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN;**_I don't really like making a lot of OC's so I had to add in other DC characters, I honestly didn't know I was going to use Power Girl for this. What do you think about the new faces?


	13. Lesbian Magnet

_**Disclaimer:**_** I do not own any part of Batman. **

* * *

><p><strong>Ivy POV<strong>

* * *

><p>I tapped my fingers against my leg nervously, <em>I wonder where we're going. I hope I'm not under-dressed, <em>I wished I didn't have a blindfold over my eyes. _Hopefully it's not a club or anything, I don't want Selina seeing how painfully awkward I can be._

"You're fine Ivy, we're almost there," her voice danced in my ears, she was nervous too. But it was nice to know she cared enough to actually take me out, for obvious reasons we couldn't really do things that looked overly romantic. _No candlelight dinners but I like knowing she's improvising. It makes everything more interesting. _

"I think you'll like it," my girlfriend said as she drove, I felt the car park and heard her turn off the engine.

"I don't get to take this off yet do I?" I pouted,

"Nope not yet, not until we're inside," she chuckled. Selina opened the door for me, took my hand and guided me into the mystery building. Excitement washed over me, with my powers buzzing under my skin a strange sensation filled my mind. Both of us went through another door and humid heat blanketed my skin, a smile pulled at my lips. "Here we are," Selina said lowly, "Are you ready?" With a nod she pulled the material away and I stepped back into the wall as my mouth fell open.

Hundreds of different types of flora sprung to life in front of me, heart pounding I stepped forward in order to touch them. _Some of these I've only seen in textbooks before, _

"Are we in a gigantic green house?" I asked in awe. The sunlight from above poured over us as Selina's arms coiled around my waist.

"Yep," I could hear the smile in her voice, "Do you like it?" I nodded, _like it? Like it? I'm insanely in love with you right now. _

"Wait," I wondered, "Why is it so empty?" I turned around, Selina let go of me,

"Well we did ditch a few periods to get here, most adults are at work right now and," she looked at her wristwatch, "Senior citizens are sleeping."

"Aren't there guards or guides to make sure we don't steal any of the plants?"

"Of course," she responded, "I guess ours hasn't showed up yet." _How could you leave all this alone? _Grabbing my girlfriend's hand I led her though the plants, at the moment we were in the tropical flower section. The energy they created was phenomenal, I could practically feel the place breathing, curling closer to me. With the amount of power around me I was wary of Selina behind me,_ I am supposed to tell her soon_. I hid my eyes away from her, in front of us read a sign, _no children admitted. _And once we stepped through, we found a guard leaning against the door, here where the heat was dialed down. I knew exactly why no children were allowed.

"What is that?" Selina asked from behind me, I reached out and gently stroked the large flower,

"It's one of the rarest flowers," I breathed, its lavender colored petals were silky against me. "It's called autumn crocus, it blooms in meadows usually." Another, more notorious plant that also had purple flowers sat a few feet away,

"And that one?" she asked curiously.

"It's called atropos belladonna," I said simply, "deadly nightshade."

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>"So that's why no kids are allowed in here," I realized when I looked around, "All of these plants are poisonous aren't they?" Ivy nodded slowly, "But you touched them," I said worriedly.<p>

"I'm fine Selina," she turned around and her green eyes stunned me, "They're poisonous if _digested. _Right now they're just pretty flowers," she walked ahead of me. _And I thought I'd never have to see that look again. _I gave her some space but where I could still see her red hair in the distance. Every time I saw her eyes like that, I don't know- it gave me the creeps. It was like she was looking through me. _I know it has to do with the plants, but what about them? _Keeping a safe distance away from all the poisonous plants I sighed inwardly, _I never get anywhere guessing. _Luckily Ivy's moody episode only lasted ten minutes or so.

* * *

><p>Once we walked back into the hotter section of the green house her eyes had faded back into their natural color. I remembered to never take her sweet glance for granted, not when it could be stolen away by a cold green stare. "You don't have to walk behind me," she smiled when she turned around, heart beating a little faster I jogged up to her. Winding through paths of flowers Ivy said, "Sorry if I got a bit strange earlier," before smelling some orchids.<p>

"You weren't str-," I told her, but her chocolate eyes were on mine and we both knew I was lying, "Okay maybe a little."

"Anyways," this time she was walking behind me, "I really like this place."

"I'm glad," I ran a hand through my hair, "You seem really at home here." The flowers in front of me seemed to unfold, just slightly as I walked,

"That's because I am," she said lowly, "There's no one to hide from, it's just you and me. Thank you for taking me here," I felt her lips at my ear. With her heartbeat sinking into mine I let out a sigh,

"Anytime Ivy," I breathed. Gently my girlfriend turned me around and set her lips on mine, nothing too aggressive, but the way her mouth slowly moved against mine made me dizzy.

She broke away and her brown eyes were bright with amusement,

"Hmm, what is it?" she asked silkily. Heat dropping low in my stomach I brushed her off, it only reminded me that though we had been affectionate for a long time we hadn't necessarily been intimate._ For what feels like forever._ _I'm fine without that- I just- right now I don't know what to do with myself. _

"Did you have to do that?" I grumbled, "I'm not sure I can even drive us home now."

"The greatest girlfriend can do anything," she said smoothly, when I turned away I saw the redhead pout. "Aw don't be like that," I felt her arms coil around my waist and pull me back into a secluded place, away from the guards. "How can I make you feel better?" she bit her bottom lip without realizing the torture she was becoming.

"You're not very good at turning me off Ivy," I said in a fierce whisper, "Now come on I have to drive us back." Taking her hand I brought her back to the car,

"I had to reward you somehow," Ivy said as she buckled her seat belt. I wanted to say _well no more of that, _but I couldn't stand to. I wanted her to kiss me, I wanted more dates, but the most blaring fact at the moment was I wanted Ivy, but I had to wait. _Keep remembering we've only been going out for three months._ "Don't think I don't appreciate the fact we're taking this slower, I do," Ivy gave me a smile, "You're just adorable when you get all flustered."

_I'm not adorable. _Face hot I was quiet the rest of the ride home. I sneakily dropped Ivy off,

"I'll see you tomorrow," she pecked my cheek.

"Yeah yeah," I grumbled before shutting her door and driving home.

* * *

><p><em>Two weeks later<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Ivy POV <strong>

* * *

><p>I felt a girl's hand on my shoulder as I ate my lunch across the quad from Selina. I turned around and realized it wasn't Harley or anyone I had ever talked to. She had long brown hair tucked into a ponytail and the way she looked at me, it was like she was about to be sick.<p>

"Do I know you?" I asked already knowing the answer. She shook her head,

"No, I am simply here to save you from your sin," she said politely. _Sin? _The brunette was smaller than me, I leaned back on my arms. _If she thinks she knows anything about me-. _

"And what sin would that be?" I mocked her politeness.

"The disease that's infecting your mind, turning your heart into a man's," she gave me a condescending glance. "She," the girl turned towards Selina's direction, "Is sending you down the road to hell Ivy." _I've never even met you. _Harsh heat brewed in my chest and my hands balled into fists, "I'm here to help you."

Extremely close to snapping I took a step backwards,

"I am not diseased," I said vehemently, "And I do not have a man's heart." _Where the hell do they get this crap from? _The girl let out a little laugh, a demeaning little laugh.

"I was afraid you would be too far gone, lost in all of the lust."

"And how is it lust? Please enlighten me," my heartbeat drowned out any other thoughts.

"What else could it be? You two can't make a family so all your relationship is- is bodily want," she said casually.

"So what about barren couples? Are they sinners too- you know, you're not even worth explaining to," I shoved past her.

I hated people like her, people that looked for new things to judge on top of their untouchable pedestal. The thing was I hadn't heard this once, or twice, this was the fourth time this kind of thing had happened. It was always a different face but they all spewed the same message. Hot tears bit behind my eyes as I passed through the crowds of unfamiliar faces, the ignorant static had finally gotten under my skin. Frustration had my blood boiling when I crossed the quad, I felt another hand on my shoulder. The moment she touched me I felt a breeze curl through my hair, washing away traces of the anger clinging onto me.

"You okay?" her jade colored eyes were worried, I nodded,

"I'm just tired," I said honestly, "Tired of all these people." A knowing look darkened her eyes, without another word she walked me to the science wing. Selina turned her head when my hand slipped into place with hers, "You know I love you," I said softly.

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV <strong>

* * *

><p>"You know I love you," my girlfriend's voice sounded raw and hurt, that's when I noticed the tears brimming in the corners of her eyes. My hold on her hand tightened,<p>

"I know," I breathed, we were walking towards my car. When she sat beside me tears trickled down her cheeks, "Ivy?" Part of my chest was torn open with her every caught breath,

"I just- I feel so useless, I have to hear people bad mouth you constantly and I can't do shit about it," the redhead hid her face with her hand. _I was hoping you wouldn't hear them. _

"You don't need to worry about them," I said lowly, "I deal with them, it'll be fine." Ivy's hands fell into her lap and she turned her head away from me,

"Still Selina," she breathed shakily, tucking her legs underneath her.

Suddenly she turned back, her cheeks shining with old tears,

"I don't get why -," she exhaled, "they pay so much attention to our relationship, and then assume they know who we are."

"If it helps at all I don't get it either," I held her hand loosely. The redhead gave me a glance before wiping the tears away,

"I can't wait until we graduate, maybe then it will get better." Her words hit me like a punch in the stomach, _will we still be together after that? _I didn't want to make her more upset so I kept my thoughts to myself, _you'll probably find someone better suited for you. Smarter, nicer, better looking- the whole shebang. _I did hope her life got easier, but it wasn't like judgmental people would disappear, _as nice as that would be_. _But, that's not something she needs to hear_.

* * *

><p>The sound of the bell ringing was far off here in my car, soft brown eyes connected with mine,<p>

"Sorry for being so depressing," she said sheepishly. I shook my head,

"It's better if we talk about it than ignore it completely," I realized. The redhead picked up her things,

"I'll see you tomorrow?" she asked. Ivy leaned into kiss me, I was a little dazed when she pulled away,

"Ivy!" I shouted out my car window, she came jogging back, "I love you too." My girlfriend blushed and fought the urge to smile before she had to quickly make her way to class.

* * *

><p><em>The next day<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Harley POV<strong>

* * *

><p>"Red!" I called before running over towards her and sweeping her up into my arms. "I haven't seen you since summer school." The girl patted my head,<p>

"Can't- really breathe Harley," Ivy said, I loosened my hold on her. "How have you been?" she asked.

"Good," I said when I pulled away, "You?" The redhead only smiled, "Oh that good huh?" I saw a familiar face making their way over, running a hand through her choppy black hair as she talked on her phone the girl looked over at us. Arching a dark brow her green eyes shifted between us,

"Hey Ivy," she said casually before putting her phone away.

Once she stood closer I noticed ironic she was, wearing dark jeans, a grey vest with a white shirt underneath and dark blue Converse. _A gay person who doesn't like colors, _I giggled at the thought. Though all her clothes blended into the gloomy mood that was school, her olive toned skin contrasted the September sky. But Selina- yeah Selina, she was subtly pretty, _not like Red_, but still very pretty. Had she not been I might've mistaken her for a boy.

"Oh Selina this is my friend Harleen," Ivy said breaking our hug, she motioned to me. I shrugged,

"You can call me Harley." Amusement lit her eyes,

"So you're the girl who told off Karen, have to say I thought you were suicidal for a second." I grinned,

"You two have met?" Red sounded surprised, "And who's Karen?"

We both turned to her wide eyed,

"How do you not know who she is?" Selina asked.

"I mean- you know I don't get out much," Ivy said awkwardly,

"Well this is how it happened," I started, "Karen Starr was picking on your girlfriend and I stopped her. Wow, that's not much of a story if I put it that way," I trailed off.

"She was bullying Selina?" Red asked hotly,

"Mouthing off a little, it wasn't that bad," Selina added quickly. Ivy stood there thinking for a minute,

"Karen- sounds familiar but I don't-," I made a large C motion over my chest, "Oh- that Karen? Doesn't she have some anger problem Harley? How did you stop her?"

"I don't think she has anger issues per se ," I didn't mean to sound defensive, "I just talked to her the same way she talks to everyone else. She didn't like it, but it did take her focus off her," I motioned towards the green eyed girl.

"Thanks for that by the way," Selina said as she sat down next to Ivy,

"No problem," I waved her off. Red gave me a breathtaking smile,

"Seriously, it's nice to know you're around when I'm not." Blush stole my cheeks, I tried to ignore my quick heartbeat with a little joke,

"Does that mean we're some kind of threesome know?" Selina coughed abruptly and turned her flushed face away.

The funniest part was Ivy didn't notice,

"Not to intrude but did I hear _threesome_?" a blonde guy asked. Selina turned back around,

"Get your head out of the gutter Kenny," she scowled. He put up his hands defensively,

"I'm only a teenage boy Cat, you can't expect that out of me." Another boy, a bit taller than the first, came by with a sandwich in hand, he took a bite.

"If I would've known you were a chick magnet," he said to the dark haired girl before turning to me. "Hey my name is Tommy," he said casually.

"I'm Harley," I smiled before joining them on a patch of grass, I sat next to Ivy and Selina and the two boys sat across from us.

* * *

><p>"Have you guys seen Dick around lately?" Selina asked them. They both shook their heads,<p>

"I mean we see him in class, but as soon as we get out he vanishes," Kenny muttered. Selina's expression darkened,

"We should check up on him Tom," she said as he ate.

"Dick Grayson?" I asked curiously. Ivy nodded,

"You know him?" Tommy asked, I shook my head,

"I just know who he is."

* * *

><p>It was quiet as we ate, Selina sighed,<p>

"I don't think she's interested."

"Aw you don't know that," Tommy huffed. _What are they talking about?_

"Am I missing something?" I asked tucking some of my hair behind my ear. I turned to Red," Do you know?" Ivy shook her head,

"Tommy sort of has a thing for blondes," Selina said before Tommy nudged her in the side. _Oh. I get it. _

"Not to come off as conceited -but I'm not interested in dating you," I said bluntly, "Just so you know." Selina's face said _I told you so_,

"I should have known you would only attract more lesbians Selina," he grumbled,

"You've officially become the Rinnosuke of this situation," Kenny chuckled.

"Shut up with your computer nerd comments," he mumbled before laying back on the grass.

_Only attract more lesbians-,_

"Wait," I said, "I'm not a lesbian. I just don't date," I said honestly. The dark haired guy rolled over,

"Salt in the wound," he said. I shook my head,

"It's not that you aren't good looking, I just don't think it'd be good to date in high school. Not for me at least." He arched a brow and sat up,

"Why is that?" Ivy gave him a look, _that's her business._ I looked off into the direction of the asylum.

"My dream job, it would be hard to have it **and **a relationship."

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>"What do you want to be Harley? No offense but with your frame I doubt you want to go into the service." The blonde chuckled,<p>

"Nope not the service, I want to be a therapist- sort of- a psychiatrist," she said excitedly. He looked a bit confused,

"You can be a psychiatrist and still date," he argued. _What happened to being laid back Tommy? This girl got you that flustered? _

"Not if you want to be successful at Arkham," Harley said simply. Kenny spat out his water, and we all tensed,

"And be surrounded by the worst nut jobs in all of Gotham! Do you have a death wish? Why would you **want **to work at Arkham Asylum?" I looked over at Ivy, who had remained calm. _She's heard this before. _

"You wouldn't understand," she said irritably, "I have to go Red," she gave my girlfriend a kiss on the forehead. "I'll see you later Selina."

* * *

><p>And that was the day I met Harley.<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN;**_Thanks for being patient.


	14. Rain or Shine

_**Disclaimer:**_**I do not own any part of Batman. **

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>"Selina," I heard a girl's voice but it trailed off. Today had been a conditioning day for the underclassmen, I had forgotten that it was school code for <em>you could have easily ditched and we wouldn't have cared. <em>So only some straggling seniors were in here, well me, and from what I had just heard, Karen Starr. The blonde leaned against the wall, already in her uniform, and stared up at the ceiling with her cyan colored eyes. When she turned I noticed the confused look she gave me,

"What is it?" I asked gruffly as I put my crap away in my locker.

"I'm sorry about what I said," that made me turn my head,

"Yeah? You apologizing just to make yourself feel better, cause I doubt you're really sorry."

I didn't know what to think when she walked over to me and laid her hand on my arm,

"No Selina I'm actually sorry, I shouldn't have said the things I said to you." _You know my name? _I shook my head,

"Is that all? Because I need to get to class Karen," she gave me a slight smile that said _you are in class. _

"I needed to ask, how do you know you're," she searched for the right word but my mind already finished the sentence.

"Are we really talking about this Karen? Don't you have boys on your heels 24/7? I don't think you have much_ discovering _left to do."

"Hey," she snapped, "Just because they're goo-goo eyed for me doesn't mean I sleep with them! I have my dignity," she straightened out her shirt. I ran a hand down my face,

"You have- done that though right?" I asked awkwardly through my palm,

"Slept with a guy?" she asked straightforwardly, "No." You have to know how badly my mind exploded at that second in time, I had to remind myself to speak.

"Have you had a crush on a girl or been with girls?" I asked my face getting hot, _how did we get into talking about your sex life? _

The blonde shook her head, _alright so this isn't based on past experiences, god this is awkward. _The look in her eyes told me she had been thinking about this for a while, it wasn't just some phase for attention to her. "So you are attracted to guys and girls?" I asked lowly.

"I think so," Karen said slowly, I took her by the shoulders,

"Problem solved! You are a bisexual," and with that I turned away from her and went back to my locker.

I heard her walking up from behind me,

"Selina I don't think that's it," she said in a serious tone. _What else is there? _"Whoever I love is whoever, but that's in the future. I just, I need to make sure I know who I am attracted to."

"What are you getting at?" I asked after I changed, suddenly remembering how empty the locker room was. When I turned around her lips were inches from mine, "No, no no no," I ducked away from her, "Experiment with anyone but me," I ran out of the locker room.

* * *

><p><strong>Harley POV<strong>

* * *

><p>I got into the locker room just in time for Selina to rush past me,<p>

"Hey where are you-?" I asked but she was already out of sight, _what's up with her?_ The locker room felt really empty, in a weird eerie sort of way. In a flip I landed on top of the ten foot lockers and jumped from row to row, but froze when I saw a blonde looking down at the ground watery eyed. _Karen? _

"I heard you come in," she said calmly,

"You okay?" I asked concerned, but still somewhat wary of her from where I stood on top of the lockers.

"I just," she exhaled, "Was trying to figure some stuff out," she said honestly. I jumped down from the lockers, it was weird to see her anything near vulnerable, I put my hand on her knee and sat crisscross in front of her.

"Can I help you?"

Her blue eyes lit up and for once I didn't see the artificial glass she always made sure people saw her through. I noticed how beautiful she really was.

"You've got to promise me you won't get weirded out. That you won't tell anyone," she said with her intense blue eyes on me.

"Sure," I smiled, "I don't think you could freak me-," suddenly her lips were pressed firm against mine. She pulled away as I blinked,

"Harleen?" she asked her eyes focused on me as I sat across from her on the floor of the locker room.

"It's Harley," I leaned into kiss her, my heart racing under my skin. Soon she had pulled me into her lap, I weaved my fingers into her shoulder length hair as her hands curled around my thighs.

Her fingertips traced invisible shapes into my skin as her mouth moved down to my throat, I giggled when she nipped at my neck. Other than that she was handling me like I was made of glass, with good reason, I had seen her total a locker before. _Not something I want to happen to me._ It was strange I had never really thought of her as being well, _affectionate. _But here she was,

"Is it weird that I think I like you?" she murmured into my skin.

"Is it weird that I feel the same way?" I pulled away from her and looked into her eyes. Karen started to kiss me slowly, her tongue curling around mine.

"This isn't anything serious is it?" she asked,

"I don't think so," I breathed as she broke away.

I didn't know much about Karen, and eventually I did want something like Ivy and Selina had. But I was content with this, if she wanted to sate her curiosity with me I would gladly let her. Things started to get more aggressive when she deepened the kiss and left me panting and pulling at the back of her shirt. Heat danced up my thighs, the way she touched me was indescribable, _she is amazing_.

"Karen?" I breathed against her neck,

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to kind-of-sort-of go out with me?"

"Yes," she smiled before giving me another dizzying kiss, _I think I just made Starr my girlfriend. _I glanced down at her chest for a second, then it turned into gazing, "I was wondering when you were going to look down," she chuckled.

I put a hand on my flat chest dramatically,

"I didn't even notice they were there I swear." She brought me further into her lap,

"Uh huh," she smiled.

* * *

><p><em>A week later<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>Old frustration bit at my chest, had they not cornered me, had we not been on school grounds things would've been different. Arms folded tight over my chest I tuned out their insults and close-minded rants, I had heard them a million times before. A few other students strolled by because they didn't see what was really happening. Two seniors, smaller than the men I usually could take out, had decided now, during third period, they had to tell me about their feelings towards my sexuality. The crazed look in their cold eyes was the only thing nailing me to the ground. For them it had nothing to do with religion or faith or any of that- they had no restraints. That was what I could see.<p>

Heartbeat quickening I took a step back when they moved forward, _to them I'm just some dirtied thing that's in need of cleansing. _I watched one of them- the way he kept clenching and unfolding his hands, icy anxiety shot up my spine. Trying to not catch their attention I looked down the long halls of the main building, hoping Harley might come up the empty stairway.

"No guy would fuck you is that it?" his hiss buzzed just beyond my hearing. Irritation boiled in my lungs,

"Other way around asshole," I growled hating the fact lockers were now digging into my back. The two chuckled darkly, another emotion made their eyes glassy as they backed off a little.

"Got a mouth on you," one smirked, they both seemed so generic, the details so forgettable, all that rang out was their voices.

"Bet that little slut you chase after doesn't even want you. The bitch is probably behind the bleachers right now, on her knees-." Before he could blink I slammed his back into the wall, my fists were bunched up in his collar,

"Say that again," I snarled, "Bring up my girlfriend again so I can beat you beyond recognition." Hands quickly yanked me away and the motion left me unsteady. Knuckles collided with my nose and a sharp metallic taste ran down my throat.

Fire branched out in my face, steadying my feet I took a bloody hand away from my face, when I looked back up at them they both were wearing cocky grins. Shoving me back into the wall my toes barely met the ground when his hand gripped my shirt.

"Today is not your day," he smiled wickedly. Suddenly footsteps were running down the hall,

"Let go of her," Ivy's voice snapped. _No get help-I don't want them anywhere near you. _

"Speak of the devil," the other sneered, once my feet met the ground I coughed up stale air and tried to breathe. The fierce anger in her brown eyes almost made her unrecognizable.

The two moved away, still lurking within earshot,

"Are you okay?" her eyes flashed with worry for an instant, I nodded cupping my hand just below my nose. "What the hell is wrong with you?" the redhead whirled around towards the other seniors. Their expressions darkened,

"Nothing is wrong with **us**," one replied simply, "We were just cleaning up." For a second-if that, the other had a normal mindset,

"Why are you like this?" he asked, "Did she persuade you? Pay you?" Ivy shot him a glare after she checked my fucked up nose.

"No," she said irritated, "Is it that hard to under-?"

"Yeah why don't you like guys?" the other interrupted.

I was feeling a bit dizzy when I stared at my blood soaked hand,

"Really? Are you asking me that? Does it surprise you that I don't want to date an asshole - a guy that beats up a girl just because they're not into you?"

"You know you're going to hell right?" he said seriously. I saw a suited figure out of the corner of my eye, behind the two teenage boys.

"I'll gladly go if it means I don't have to see people like you anymore," she hissed. Knife like pain sliced through my chest, _but I don't want that for you. I never want that for you- I want you to be happy Ivy. _Hot tears pricked behind my eyes when I heard the principle's voice,

"Gentlemen a word," he said firmly after giving me a look over, he knew what happened, why and the punishment already. Or so it seemed by the severe look on his face.

Arm wrapping around me Ivy led me to the nurse's office as I tried to hold myself together. The pain was manageable, but the idea that us being together- Ivy being with me was making her suffer- that I didn't want to think about. Even if there wasn't a real hell, weren't we already living it? Dealing with people bombarding us every other day because we were in love? The nurse was running late, my girlfriend sat me down on an empty cot and began to wipe my face clean of dried blood. Heart beating heavily in my chest I kept my eyes down on the ground as she inspected the damage.

"At least it isn't broken," Ivy said softly handing me tissues to stop the trickling blood. "You sure you're alright Selina?" she asked worriedly. My brows were knit together in an attempt to keep the tears at bay,

"I just," I inhaled as my throat became sore the longer I thought about my words.

"What is it?" she asked as the sunlight freckled across her sweet face. Hands clutching at the sheets I tried to manage a shaky breath,

"It'd be a lot easier for you if you just-," the rest got caught in my throat, I looked away from her brown eyes.

"Selina," her voice danced in my ears,

"Break up with me please," I murmured hoarsely, the moment I said it out loud hot tears spilled over my cheeks.

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><p><strong>Ivy POV<strong>

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><p>I couldn't believe what I was hearing, my heart ached when rare tears trickled down my girlfriend's face. Fingers brushing them away I tried to get her to look at me,<p>

"Why would I do that?" Selina only became more upset,

"All I do is make life harder for you- and that's not what I want for you. I want your life to be easier," her voice trembled.

"But I'm with you," I said softly, "I don't care if life is hard because of that," I held her hand tight in mine, "You're good for me." The dark haired girl shook her head,

"No I'm not Ivy- please just find someone better for you," the tears didn't stop. When I saw her reddened green eyes cold sadness washed over me, _she's thought about this before. _

"Don't you get it?" my throat tightened, "I don't care if you think someone smarter or taller or whatever-is out there. You know why?" Her sad green eyes met mine, "Because I don't love them, I love you okay?" Arms wrapped around her waist I held her close to me, "I only love you Selina." Each of her caught breaths made my heart beat painfully, "You know that don't you?" Heat bit at my eyes as I placed my head on her shoulder, hot tears rolled down her neck and onto mine. Then her arms wrapped tight around me and she buried her face in the crook of my neck trying to calm down. Beyond our heartbeats I could hear the faint rapping of rain against the windowpanes.

When I pulled away I made her look at me, the heartbreaking way her pink lips trembled, it felt like she would start crying all over again. Now dry- tired eyes met mine, still Selina held onto her sides to keep herself from crumbling. It was quiet between us for a few minutes.

* * *

><p>"Yeah," she said shakily, my thumb swept over her hand and I felt her finally wind down.<p>

"Good," I smiled, without really thinking I leaned in to give her a small kiss.

"Ow ow ow," Selina swatted me away and guarded her nose. "Jesus Ivy," she grumbled in pain.

"So- so sorry," I fought the urge to laugh as I hugged her, my girlfriend's hand rubbed my back.

"Yeah yeah," the dark haired girl breathed, "Well now I can't even kiss you," she murmured.

I pulled away and pecked her cheek,

"It will heal in a week or two," I reassured her, "And besides, I can still kiss you." Her jade eyes darkened,

"But my nose," she said confusedly as she shifted on the bed. Skin warm against my lips Selina trembled as I kissed up her neck, her fingers immediately weaved into my hair. Letting out a sigh she said, "I got it."

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><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

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><p>Heart nearly beating out of my chest Ivy's tongue swept up my neck and her hot breath washed into the shell of my ear as she nibbled on it. All while I tried to fight off the welcoming pleasure haze. Tail squirming in my jeans I gasped when my girlfriend's hand coiled tight around it, "Ivy no-," I moaned as heat washed up my thighs. <em>If only we weren't at school right now. <em>Molten brown eyes glanced my way,

"I want to make you feel better," the redhead said softly as her body arched into mine. _Damn it damn it damn it. _

"Maybe when I'm not a heap of emotions and nerve endings," I reluctantly tried to brush her off, I didn't want to get caught in the nurse's office. Her slender fingertips skated across my fur slowly making me see stars behind my eyelids. "Come on," I sighed trying to separate myself from the wonderful sensations.

Pushing Ivy's back onto the cot I sat on top of her, the redhead looked up at me sheepishly,

"Sorry- it's been a while," she said embarrassed. I nodded as my tail hid back in my pants,

"Not here okay?" My girlfriend nodded, my eyes ran down her face to her torso and heat washed over me when I found a patch of bare skin. Somehow her shirt had rode up, just barely above her waistband; I ran my hand across her smooth stomach. I could feel her curiously watching me but I let myself enjoy the way she felt. _It's been so long, _I felt like kissing up her long legs and-. "I seriously hate those guys now," I grumbled as I got off of Ivy.

Eyes lit with amusement my girlfriend smiled when she realized why I was frustrated. Just then the nurse came through the door, the old woman did a double take.

"Oh poor girl, who did that to you?" she asked worriedly.

"A senior," I said as she went around getting her supplies. The nurse had her wispy white hair tied into a bun, she shook her head, when she got closer to me she realized someone had already cleaned me up.

"Did you do this?" she asked Ivy who nodded in response, "You're lucky to have someone like her," she told me warmly.

"I know," I smiled. Ivy went to leave as the nurse worked on my nose, "Ow," I muttered.

"Sorry hun. Thank heavens it isn't broken," she smiled. I slyly watched my girlfriend go, even the slight sway of her hips had me itching to touch her. _Two weeks. _Office doors still open I froze when the redhead glanced over her shoulder as she walked down the hall. Pink lips pulled into a flirty smile I knew she was thinking the same thing.

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><p><em><strong>AN;**_ I really did like that art Rachel, I'm happy you're enjoying the story.


	15. Sports Rally

**_Disclaimer: _I do not own any part of Batman. **

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><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

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><p>"Attention students today we are having the Fall Sports Rally in the main gym. If you have your third period class on-," I groaned in response to the loud speaker. It was the same crap <strong>every<strong> year, the cheerleaders did some stunts, the jocks got recognized, and worst of all the music. The music played at the rally was the handful of songs the radio ruined by pressing repeat for _months._ _Actually I can stand the music; those god forsaken seats- have to sit on them for a straight hour._ I stood up the instant the bell rang; Ivy was packing her science notebook away when she looked up at me.

"I wish we could go to the same rally," the redhead pouted, "Maybe then the bleachers would be manageable." As soon as she had her backpack on I took her hand and walked towards the front of the school. Around halfway through the quad I turned to her,

"You don't have to go to the stupid rally at all- if you don't want to."

Her brown eyes widened,

"You mean ditch? Won't we get in trouble?" she said innocently, "What if we get caught?" A smile pulled at my lips,

"So we are secretly dating but you're worried about being truant? Come on Ivy no one will notice, I'll call in as your mom and say you had a doctor's appointment." My girlfriend played with the ends of her sleeves nervously, thinking it over.

"Don't they ask for a receipt?" she asked worriedly. I shook my head,

"Not when it's a Friday Ivy," I smiled.

"Live life with me," I said melodramatically still holding her hand, with a laugh she nodded and followed me to the parking lot.

* * *

><p>"So where are we go-," she started before waving across the lot. Grinning Harley ran towards Ivy,<p>

"Where are you two off to?" she asked excitedly. I shrugged my shoulders,

"Haven't really figured that out yet," I said honestly, "What about you-?" The sight of the blonde amazon strolling over to Harley froze me in place, she lazily threw her arms over the smaller girl's shoulders.

"Oh hi Karen, they were ditching too," Harley smiled before pecking her on the cheek.

"We could go together," the girl with the cool cyan eyes suggested casually.

_Alright so they're together now? When did that happen?_ I broke out of my thoughts,

"Follow me," I huffed, I wasn't exactly excited to share my off time with Karen.

"This is yours?" Karen asked surprised when we got to my Camaro,

"Yeah," I answered before sliding inside. Harley and Ivy sat in the backseat and I sighed inwardly, _now were sitting next to each other, great._

"You've got good taste," she ran her fingers across the dashboard. I turned to her before I started the car, the blonde arched a brow in response. "What?" _Who are you? _Then I looked back to Harley who didn't notice me as she tickled Ivy,_ Have you made her into this- this normal person who I might not dislike talking to?_

* * *

><p>"Nothing," I said as I turned back to the wheel, casually driving into town Harley spoke up when I stopped at a red light.<p>

"OH I just remembered there's this buy one get one sale at the ice cream shop," she said happily, "Selina can we go? Pleeeeeeease?"

"Sure," I chuckled, "You haven't had a sugar fix in a while have you?"

"I'm trying to wean myself off the stuff," she responded in a gruff man's voice, "Fighting this battle isn't easy." Both Ivy and Karen laughed in response,

"You have some weird friends Ivy," I smiled,

"Makes sense, I mean I have a weird girlfriend too," the redhead ruffled my hair.

A few minutes later we drove up to the shop and Harley jumped out of the car with Ivy in tow.

"We are both going to get sundaes Red and they are going to be the best sundaes of your life!" Once inside the blonde immediately ordered, I leaned against the car and watched as Harley fed Ivy spoonfuls of icy sugar. A foot or so away I could feel Karen by my side,

"So you two are going out?" the blonde nodded as she ran a hand through her hair.

"A week or so now," she said, "It's more of a friends-with-benefits sort of thing. We've talked about it." I didn't comment, "Does it ever bother you?" Karen asked motioning to our affectionate girlfriends, "Them being so close?"

* * *

><p>"Sometimes," I said honestly, "But I've gotten to know Harley better and I don't think she'd try anything. The only thing that bugs me is that together they look more natural than Ivy and I do."<p>

"That's not true," Karen put her hands in her jean pockets, "They might be affectionate, but Ivy doesn't have the same deep bond with Harley that she has with you." It was still strange to think she of all people was telling me this, the girl that had bullied me for the last two years of high school.

"I wish our relationship- I was more affectionate," I grumbled playing with a rock under my shoe.

"Really?" Karen asked amused, "You want that whole cuddle-bunnies thing?" I shook my head furiously,

"I take that back," the blonde chuckled. "Have you and Harley," I asked cautiously, "Gotten any crap?" Her cyan eyes turned serious,

"The way I am- nobody has really noticed we're together," she said, "But if anyone harasses her," she looked into the shop window.

Above us the storm clouds loomed,

"They'll have to answer to you? Good job making cliché phrases sound decent Starr."

"I will take that compliment," the blonde smirked; her expression again took a different direction. "Listen about before sorry I was being such a-," she started.

"Bitch?" I filled in. "I know- it's weird finding out this how it could've been for two years," I breathed. Something akin to sadness churned in her blue eyes,

"I hated you for awhile, not for anything you did, you just seemed so sure of yourself. There was no second guessing what you were, I never –ever had that," she turned to me.

"Well at least now you know," I said hopefully, the blonde nodded then looked longingly up at the sky,

"Yeah," she said softly._ That's not it is it? It's something deeper than that._

Given the fact neither I nor Karen we're the touchy feely types away from our girlfriends I was at a loss. I wanted to help, _but I'm not sure I can, if the confident Karen Starr can't handle it how can I be useful?_ That and the fact I doubted the blonde really wanted to have a heart to heart with me of all people, I glanced at Harley in the shop happily eating ice cream. _Hopefully she can help._ Suddenly the amazon stood and stretched her arms over her head,

"Bathroom," she said before going into the shop. I watched as Harley jumped from the table and out the door,

* * *

><p>"Hey Selina," she wrapped an arm around me warmly, nuzzling her face into my shoulder.<p>

"Harley," I patted her head, "Why'd you leave Ivy by herself?" I asked curiously.

"Red is paying for the ice cream," she explained, _Ivy doesn't have money on her._ "With her feminine wiles."

My girlfriend gave the cashier a sweet smile,

"He never had a chance," I grinned. "Hey Harley I have to tell you something." The blonde looked up at me, her arms still tight around my waist,

"What is it?" she asked curiously._ No wonder Karen is so calm all the time, she has to balance out this girl._

"Don't tell her I told you," I said in a hushed tone, "But I think Karen's a little sad. I'm not telling you to ask why or anything," I explained, "Just make sure she's happy." Harley grinned slyly,

"I gotcha'." For a few heartbeats I thought that response was normal, suddenly my face got hot,

"I didn't mean it like _that_ Harley!" I said embarrassed. She gave me a look that said, _sure you didn't._ "Why are you hanging on to me anyways?" I asked in order to save myself from the awkwardness.

"It's cold out here," she pouted holding me tighter,

"Then why did you come out here?"

"That is a good question," she realized, the blonde released me when both of our girlfriends stepped out of the shop. "Karen I think Selina likes you!" I shielded my red face with my hand,

"Really Harley?" I mumbled into my palm.

"Taking things out of context I see," the blonde got into the backseat with her girlfriend. Ivy sat next to me,

"Female bonding?" she smiled, I nodded before driving us back to school. _Did not think I'd ever call Karen a friend. Things change though. _

* * *

><p>"Lunch thank god," Harley complained, "I was starving on the drive back." Karen smiled,<p>

"Everyone -my bottomless pit of a girlfriend," she gestured to the blonde.

"Hey," Harley pouted, "I'm not a bottomless whatever just because I'm hungry."

"Constantly hungry," Karen walked with her into the quad that was swimming with people, "I think that qualifies." Since the amazon had a talent for creating paths Ivy and I shadowed her until we got to our lunch spot. Not of course without the questioning glances from others.

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><p><em>The next week at lunch<em>

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><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

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><p>Dick had stopped randomly vanishing, I had an idea of where he had been but I didn't ask much about it. Though her girlfriend wasn't with her today, Harley sat and ate with us. Thankfully no one brought up Arkham again and Kenny had gotten over the whole thing. After eating lunch Harley had been playing with Ivy and Kenny, he pretended to be Godzilla so Harley naturally hid behind my girlfriend. The blonde turned her head quickly, nose to nose with the redhead,<p>

"Jeez Harley," Ivy laughed, "Are you trying to kiss me?" Harley had a quick comeback,

"Do you want me to kiss you?" she asked playfully.

_Stop it. There are no sexual undertones if you stop thinking about it Selina._

"Why do you even hide behind me?" she asked curiously still dodging Kenny's extremely slow swipes, "I'm not much taller than you."

"Cause you're a barrier -squishy like a marshmallow," Harley said.

"I'm not delicious like a marshmallow?" she arched a brow, the blonde had not considered this.

"Do you want me to eat you Red? Because I bet you're tasty," Harley smiled._ Oh god. She had to say that._

I stood up and went over to my girlfriend easily getting past Godzilla,

"Ivy," I said drawing her attention away from Harley, "We should _go_. Right now." At first the redhead didn't catch my meaning, realization darkening her eyes she grabbed her things.

"Sure Selina," she said smoothly.

* * *

><p>Honestly I'm surprised I didn't crash into anyone as I raced home, as soon as I got into my room I locked the door behind me.<p>

Pressing me up against the wall Ivy's sweet lips were rough on mine, it wasn't want or need anymore. It was nothing but a craving for physical contact. _It's been too long._

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><p><strong>Ivy POV<strong>

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><p>Heat boiled low in my stomach as the dark haired girl practically moaned into my mouth. It was adorable how easily Harley's comments turned her on. Looking down I realized there was too much clothing between us, in a second I pulled Selina's T shirt over her head. Hungry yellow eyes caught me off guard; my girlfriend easily picked me up and moved onto the bed. Every fiber of me ached for her to touch me, wanted her to rip my clothes off- but another, smaller part wanted to savor this. Drunk in the sensation of her tongue against mine I curled my hands around her hips as she unbuttoned my shirt.<p>

Back bowing our bodies were now flush against each other, the slow grind of her hips into mine was no longer enough. A sigh bubbled in my throat when her hand cupped between my thighs, caressing me through the thick jean. My brows pinched together as the ache inside me burned brighter, _still not enough. _Rolling Selina onto her back I gasped when I felt her inside my jeans even though her hands were firm on my shoulders._ Her tail_, now she kissed me slowly, the smooth sliding of her tongue leaving me dizzy and panting. Tail wiggling against the thin material of my underwear I could hardly breathe,

"Good," I moaned.

Selina's smooth skin glistened with a thin layer of sweat, now a cocky grin was set on her face. Kissing down my throat to my chest electricity lit behind my eyelids when her tail aggressively rubbed against me.

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>"Ah," Ivy gasped arching into me, "god," her cry danced in my ears as she shuddered. Lava like heat had settled in my stomach, I wasn't sure how long either of us would last. Laying back I watched as the redhead tossed her head back and began to ride me. Her heat consumed my senses with only a paper-thin obstacle separating our bodies. Hands on her waist I watched in awe at the mouthwatering way her body would stretch sunlight poured over her soft skin and lit her fiery hair. Seductive emerald eyes glanced down at me, the combination of fear and arousal had me closer to the edge.<p>

"Ivy," I said hoarsely, my grip on her hips tightened.

Tingles and pleasure were already gnawing at my nerves when her hand coiled tight around my tail,

"Yes," I moaned. The redhead lay on top of me and her hot breath blanketed my skin when I greedily squeezed her breasts.

* * *

><p>"Pamela where are you?" her dad's voice carried into my room. <em>No no no no no no no no. Why is he even home? Out sick on the one day- office must've called because of the absence.<em> With a whine slipping out of me I had a feeling she wouldn't stay.

"Not now," she said breathlessly, "Any other time," she panted._ He thinks she's in the garden._

"You skipped school for your stupid plants?" he barked near the back of the house. Ivy froze on top of me flustered, her cheeks reddened with embarrassment and her eyes dark with irritation. Fire still licked between my thighs, _Ivy_ _please-. _

"My parents," she breathed, "I need to go." Hiding my disappointment I remained silent and sat on the edge of my bed as she put her shirt back on. Leaning over the second story banister I watched her go to the front door, her hand reluctantly curled around the knob. My girlfriend turned an apology written in her expression,

"Meet me in the garden, tomorrow at midnight." A smile buzzed on my lips,

"Okay," I shut the door behind her and heard her sneak into her house. _Those eyes again. They only come out when-well when we do that and when we're near plants._ "I didn't think that through at all," I carded a hand through my hair. _Me plus Ivy plus a garden- what did I get myself into?_ Back upstairs on my bed I tried to get my mind off of it, but it kept coming back to her eyes.

* * *

><p>"She told me she would explain," I sighed, "I just really hope she's not going to reveal to me," I let out a breath, "She's been killing people for fertilizer."Letting out a laugh that hid my nervousness I turned on the TV, "That would be fantastic." <em>It won't be that bad, but why has she hidden it from me this long then? What could possibly worse than having a tail?<em> The horror-story thought of my girlfriend killing people to feed her garden was comfortingly weird enough to distract me from dwelling on her untold secret.

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><p><strong><em>AN;_**I apologize for making Power Girl so out of character before, I used this chapter to right that wrong.

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><p><em><strong>Just some facts:<strong> _Without one review early on this story would've never had chapters 3-14 or most of 15. It would've skipped it all.


	16. Hidden Garden

**_Disclaimer: _I do not own any part of Batman. **

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><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

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><p>Waiting for midnight had been one of the most painful moments of my life. Not knowing what Ivy would say or how I would react to it was making me anxious. At the same time the fact we were going to be alone tonight, for the first time in months, had me excited. Outside the night sky was caught in a shade between indigo and black. The clock next to my bed read <em>11:58PM<em> after I had gotten changed.

"Finally," I sighed trying to ignore my quick heartbeat as I leapt from my window into her dark backyard. Tall hedges of thorn bushes loomed above me barely distinguishable from the black night sky, I swallowed the lump in my throat. _How am I supposed to get past this? _

The sight of poison ivy weaved into the bushes made me step back, _have to admit it is a great way to keep your parents out._ Reaching out with a cautious hand my fingers brushed the thick hedge while avoiding the angry red colored thorns. Before my eyes the hedge sort of, coiled back away from my hand. Pushing into the green with my legs now I looked down amazed as the shrub thinned, soon a rough archway had been made. _Is she- is Ivy doing all of this?_ Once I crossed the threshold the entryway closed up behind me, _where is she? _The dirt was moist under my bare feet and the air here was denser than- well outside, it was like walking into a bio-dome. A thin path curved through the plant life; carefully watching my footing I continued past exotic baby trees and flowers that I knew she had brought with her from the rainforest.

Crimson hibiscus and violet orchids were in bloom around me, and those were only the flowers I could recognize. The sweet earthy smell of Ivy filled my mind and I knew she was nearby. Stepping forward the sensation washed over me, like the forest was breathing -completely alive. When I continued down the path I noticed the foliage curled close to my skin, but I had nothing to fear. Not if Ivy was controlling it.

"Hey," her velvety tone broke through my haze, a grin pulled at my lips,

"Ivy."

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><p><strong>Ivy POV<strong>

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><p>Starlight found her reflective eyes first, the way they pierced through the night made my heart flutter with anticipation. Stepping into the small grove faint light washed over her olive toned skin and the clothes she wore. No matter how simple her black shirt and shorts were I thought she was stunning, especially with those golden eyes. A sigh of relief escaped me when I noticed she was barefoot, which meant she hadn't harmed any of my lovelies.<p>

"You wanted to talk?" she asked smoothly,

"Like you haven't already figured it out," I said with false confidence. My girlfriend stepped closer, though still out of reach,

"So-," she started, "You control the plants? How?"

"Was born that way," I explained, "Something in my genetic code, I've tried to research it but- well there's never been someone like me. Not documented at least."

"This- it's all you, at the exhibit – even in your room?" Selina asked curiously. I nodded,

"Oh but is so much more than control and response," I smiled, "It's a mental connection-it is feeling and emotion. That," I nervously stepped back, "I wasn't sure you would understand." Selina arched a brow,

"You forget I have a tail, I'm not about to call you anything because of your plant mind meld." I moved closer to her,

"Your secret is well- physical it's a part of your body_, _this is a part of my _mind,_" I explained still sensing she was on the fence about this.

The dark haired girl looked around her absorbing the array of colors and scents,

"So you said mental connection, are you saying _plants think?_" I tried to not be defensive,

"Yes, everything that is alive has thought Selina."

"What are you going to tell me next -_they have emotions?_" she chuckled. My stance stiffened,

"Are saying they don't?" I asked looking her straight in the eye. "Listen," I breathed, "I get that what I'm telling you is hard to understand, but it's true."

"So what about the rain forest?" she asked carefully, all but one memory associated with my stays had been pleasant. When the sun was low in the sky I had gotten separated from the researchers and found myself in the soon to be coffee fields. The acres of burnt land, the screaming still tears through my nightmares.

"I feel their emotions when I open my mind," I said calmly, "I can't shut it off but I can dim it. Most of the time the connection wears off if I don't revisit a specific area."

"That's why you tend your garden constantly," Selina realized. I reached out for her hand nervously,

"You're okay with this?" I needed a clear answer.

"Obviously," she smirked, "Or else I would've ran out of here waving my arms and screaming like crazy." _Good, _I wrapped my arms around her neck loosely and rested my head on her chest,

"That's good to hear," I said softly. My girlfriend traced shapes into my back,

"Hey Ivy- your emotions and the plant's are connected right?" she asked suddenly. I nodded against her,

"Why?"

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>I swallowed the lump in my throat as heat began to spread up my thighs, the vines from above and behind me had caught me off guard with their slow caress. Most of which were centered below my waist, coiling around my calves or brushing against my thighs.<p>

"Why?" Ivy asked. _Oh no reason, either you or your plants are trying to get in my pants is all. _I let out a shaky breath, "I thought you wanted to be alone with me tonight," she added. I wasn't sure I disliked her idea of alone, the vines only felt like extensions of her fingertips, curiously and hungry.

"I did," I sighed the sensations boiling inside me distracting; "I mean I do."

Hot emerald eyes connected with mine sending electricity up my spine,

"I won't bite," her smile had my legs weak and my heart pounding harder, "Scaredy cat." Tail curling and uncurling behind me I melted when her fingers skated across my fur,

"Ivy," I sighed before bringing her lips to mine. The time apart only seemed to make the need between us more intense; I swallowed the soft sounds the redhead would make as we kissed. "Do you even have a bed out here?" My girlfriend motioned to what looked like a nest of interwoven vines, "Won't that hurt them?" _Now I sound crazy. _

"Cutting them down, burning them hurts them Selina," Ivy explained her hips mirroring mine, "They're strong, they can handle our weight."

Still skeptical I only moved forward when the redhead gave me a little push onto the low hammock like nest. _Okay I don't doubt they're strong, _I thought when I realized the vines were as thick as my arms; my feet barely met the ground. Kneeling in front of the hammock I suddenly noticed what Ivy had been wearing, I didn't know what to call it, but it looked like a leafy one piece. When her hands curled around the waistband of my shorts my heart began to speed, once she had taken them off her warm hands were on my kneecaps. Realizing what she was planning as she started to gently open my legs my tail curled over me defensively. My girlfriend glanced up at me,

"What's wrong?" she asked lowly. I shook my head, _damn self consciousness, _

"Nothing," I breathed nervously forcing my tail to move away.

I hadn't been expecting the soft pleasure to blanket me when her tongue slipped inside, my hands weaved into her thick red hair. Body humming with want I let out a moan only for it to be swallowed by the pulsating forest around me. Mind overwhelmed with sensations I let myself sink into the oncoming haze.

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><p><strong>Ivy POV<strong>

* * *

><p>Steadying her legs with a few thin vines I pushed farther,<p>

"Ivy," she purred nails carding through my hair. Lost in her taste I kept her tail away by securing it with another vine knowing what the result would be. As soon as I did my girlfriend's hips arched, her words barely understandable, all I could hear were the delicious sounds dancing in my ears. Soon the dark haired girl was twisting and sighing as her body wantonly took me deeper. Dragging a thumb across her nub I took hold of her hip and pulled her down with same hand. "Yes," she groaned hands knotting in my hair now, lust trickling onto my lips.

Kissing across that bundle of nerves I heard Selina panting above me,

"Ivy- please. " Sweeping my tongue across her I smiled when she cried out before coming undone, dipping my head back down I licked her clean. Joining her on the nest I let my eyes wash over her skin that glistened with sweat,

"Fast," I murmured into her neck. My girlfriend simply tried to catch her breath,

"I didn't know -what it would feel like," she said hoarsely. Fingertips tracing her body as it trembled in residual heat I kissed her lightly, to my surprise she rolled me underneath her. Still recovering my girlfriend moved slowly, my hands rested on her hips as she deepened the kiss. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed her tail wiggling quickly because it was bound, I released it.

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>Heart calming I let my eyes blanket her barely covered body, her soft skin veiled by thick green. Lips curled in a seductive smirk I dipped down to kiss her, the way Ivy teetered on being forward while remaining coy had my mind spinning. The redhead gripped my shoulders when my tail flicked between her thighs. Knees inching up beside my ribs she let out a sigh, beyond her ruby colored lashes curious brown orbs connected with mine. Eyelids sliding closed her breath hitched when my fingers ghosted a path against her, Ivy grew restless with my teasing. Full lips parted she made a soft sound as my tail continued to circle sensitive skin impatiently, her head fell back as I slowly slipped inside her.<p>

A ragged sigh escaped me when blazing heat surrounded my tail, Ivy's skin turned into fire while her brows pinched together. Moan drifting through the air like a melody her bright lime eyes lured me into a kiss, sparking the want inside to life. Swallowing her groan I relished in the feel of her fingers knotting in my hair as I began to thrust faster.

"More," she breathed her nails biting into my backside as she tried to take me deeper. Both of us panting I did as she said slowly in order to not hurt her, the way her body trembled had my mind quickly coming undone. Fascinated I watched her expression soften as I picked up speed, the goddess cried out when I curled my tail inside her.

Nipping her bottom lip I was surprised when her mouth crashed down on mine, her legs tightened around my waist as we kissed. Tongues slowly dancing her sweet taste had my body tensing hungrily, the redhead let out a sultry laugh when my hips ground into hers. Hardly able to breathe while in her velvety caress I looked down at our joined bodies and saw her nectar glistening on my tail. Want overwhelming me, I became light headed and plunged into her, a strangled moan danced in my ears. "Selina," she groaned tossing her head back, thirstily I watched a bead of sweat trickle down her exposed throat.

* * *

><p><strong>Ivy POV<strong>

* * *

><p>Tongue skating up my neck a jumble of nerves curled tight in the pit of my stomach; dizzy with the boiling heat inside my veins I weaved my fingers into her choppy hair. Soon the dark haired girl had my heart skipping a beat when she began to pull away the green that covered my chest, a hum of appreciation buzzed in my lungs when her lips covered my breasts. Yellow eyes aglow a wicked smile dominated her face when she looked up at me the expression sending waves of heat across my skin. Lovingly nuzzling my chest Selina gently nipped and sucked, but below my waist her tail drilled farther into me, almost reaching the dull ache burning me alive. A groan slipped out of me when it curled and twitched stretching me further, watery eyed I looked down at her, the tingles buzzing inside seconds from exploding.<p>

Near gratification gnawing at my mind I tried to bring her in deeper only to have her thrust, searing white turned the forest inside out. Pleasure magnified by the hundreds of plants I cried out only to be consumed by the sensation of her inside me. Toes curling as lava washed over my tense body my hips bucked up against hers, desperately wanting all of her, I sighed into her mouth when she started to kiss me. Gingerly disconnecting our bodies my girlfriend's lips trailed down my jaw adoringly, though the atmosphere had calmed it was still charged with desire.

"I love you," Selina murmured between kisses, I inhaled the wonderful flowery scent that hung in the air. Behind her and all around us the flowers where in full bloom, the vines of which she hadn't noticed were skating across her skin.

"I love you too," I said softly, her golden eyes cooled to their natural jade color as her tail swayed behind her. The dark haired girl looked around in awe when she realized the flowers had blossomed,

"No kidding?" she chuckled.

"That wouldn't have happened if I didn't," I let my fingers brush her high cheekbones. With a smile my girlfriend pulled me up onto my feet,

"We should go, it's getting cold out," she explained. _We both know it isn't, _still it was sweet of her to be this way after -_charming that's the word I'm looking for_. Taking hold of my hand she led me through the garden, the girl still was shocked when I thinned the thick shrub to make a passageway.

In her arms now the girl leapt up into my open window, the early morning air around us colder than I had imagined. I walked over to my bed and sat as my girlfriend stayed on the slight landing outside,

"You can come in," I patted the space beside me, "It's warmer in here." The green eyed girl shook her head,

"Nah it's okay," her breath came out in little clouds because of the cold, a combination of want and embarrassment played on her face. _She's so used to waiting- Selina doesn't want to ruin anything. _"You need your rest anyway," she said cheekily. Kneeling beside the windowsill she rested her arms on, I pecked her on the cheek loving the way she blushed in response. _You're adorable when you get coy. _

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>The redhead's expression practically read <em>you're adorable.<em> Wearing a dreamy look my face got hot as Ivy gazed at me,

"Is there something on my face?" I asked. My girlfriend shook her head and ruffled my hair,

"No-," she said softly, "I'm just happy I have you to be my Princess Charming," she smiled. Heart pounding in my chest I forgot the urge to frown in response to being called _princess. _Ruby colored hair tumbled down onto my cheeks as she gave me a goodnight kiss.

"Be good Ivy," I said before I jumped over into my room,

"Okay," she chuckled.

* * *

><p>I dreamt of another life, another world where she was my princess and I was hers. A smile pulled at my lips when I imagined stealing her away from her parents, far away where she could enjoy her garden in peace.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Many hours later<em>

* * *

><p>Rubbing sleep from my eyes I slowly stretched, the stench of smoke had my eyes snapping open. Outside the afternoon sun was blotted out by thick clouds, I looked down at the house next to mine to see it engulfed in angry crackling flames. <em>Ivy.<em>

* * *

><p><em><strong>To be continued...<strong>  
><em>


	17. Ashes

_**Disclaimer:**_ **I do not own any part of Batman.**

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>Heart ramming into my ribcage, I jumped out of the window landing in the front lawn in a flash, icy fear crept up my spine as I took in the raging fire as it climbed into the sky. <em>Those aren't clouds, <em>I realized when I looked up, my stomach sinking, _that's smoke. _Inky charred beams that had been the foundation of the home were all I could make out in the churning flames; I moved closer to her house without thought. Heat bit at my skin as I searched the hellish scene for life. I gagged when the odor of burnt flesh overwhelmed my senses. _She could still be in there, she needs me. _Anxiety and urgency forced me out of shock,

"Ivy," I shouted over the roaring blaze, "Ivy!" _She should've been with me this morning, she would've been safe then. _"Where are you?" I screamed.

Across the street I overheard a man calling the fire department, everything around the house began to blur into unimportance. Like a centipede a chill crawled under my skin the longer I didn't move, I tried to hone in on her scent, her heartbeat, on anything. When silence answered me I looked down at my blistering hands, sweat glistening on my skin, the smoke making it feel like I had cinder block on my chest. Glancing at the hungry fire I grabbed a hose from the side of my house and blasted the water as I headed towards the flames, clenching and relaxing my hands in order to brace myself for the searing heat. Just as I stepped into the collapsing house in my cocoon of water, I felt a hand weakly grip my shoulder and pull me back. I whipped around to find the redhead with soot smudged across her body and hands stained.

Forgetting everything else I wrapped my arms around her waist and brought her close to me, savoring the fact she was alive and breathing, though she felt limp in my arms. Conquering the lump in my throat I felt her hands shakily cling at the back of my shirt before clutching tight, her erratic heartbeat filled my ears.

"Hey," I choked, trying to calm us both down, I brought her deeper into my backyard, farther away from the fire. Once I released her I scanned her skin for injuries, I sighed in relief when I found none, "What happened?" Deep brown eyes cloudy and lost, tears streamed down her face as the rest of her expression remained emotionless. _Wait-, _silently her eyes connected with mine, _something's wrong._ Things weren't adding up. "Ivy, where are your parents?"

Though they weren't the greatest parents I doubted they would leave their daughter to roast in a fire.

"Yesterday," she started her voice low and flat, "They found out." Suddenly a firestorm of hatred lit her stare, "They burnt it down." _Burnt what? _Behind her the flames climbed higher turning a fiercer hue of crimson, _oh no not, _my heart sank, _her garden._ Something wasn't clicking in my head and I knew it, I took her red hand,

"We have to get out of here Ivy. Now where are they?" She tore herself away from me, holding her sides like she used to when it was cold, detestation festering in her eyes. I stepped back when her stare sliced into me, her sharp lime orbs freezing me in place.

"I had to do it. Those monsters didn't deserve life," she snapped, "Not when they slaughtered my children."

Blood running cold I stumbled farther away from her, whimpering her palms collided with her temples as she cried out,

"They won't stop," red stained her smooth skin, dirtying her beyond repair , "Selina please." _Ivy killed them. _Eyes watery I watched as grey snow began to swirl around us, desperately clinging onto material while the rest only fed the gluttonous fire. Ashes blackening the sky I could hardly breathe, not that I was even able to think anymore. Flames danced behind her, the redhead's angelic features melted into something horrid. Pain branched out in my chest as I stood speechless, part of me desperate to comfort her and the other paralyzed by the idea of touching her.

* * *

><p>Ivy was a murderer.<p>

* * *

><p>"Why?" my voice hoarse from the sizzling heat, "You didn't need to," tears bit at my eyes as I stumbled over my thoughts. In the distance sirens ripped through the quiet chaos, my heart pounded heavily when she moved closer to me.<p>

"I've already told you," her voice was velvety and sweet, her lips pressed against mine and left a bitter taste in my mouth. A blood stained hand reached out to me as an offer, "I'm leaving." The redhead winced as the screams of her garden haunted her, "There's nothing here for me anymore," her green eyes were dull and lifeless; "I'm going to Gotham," the sirens wailed closer. The longer I stared at her out stretched hand the more confused I became; her smooth skin was so familiar and welcoming, covered in gruesome blood stains.

"You love me, don't you?" The hint of my girlfriend's true voice emerged, the question stabbed at my chest, shaking my head sadly I stepped backwards.

"You're not you anymore Ivy," I choked, tears blurring my vision. Red locks melting into the angry flames her hot green glare impaled me.

"Just because I killed those monsters?" her voice was unrecognizable, she pointed to the fire, the seething rage that radiated from her washed over me. "Fine," she snarled, "I never needed you." In a flash all I saw was her back as she ran into the hills behind the house and disappeared into the tree line. Stumbling back I fell down, shielding my face with my hands I let out dry sobs, soon firefighters surrounded the house. Or what was left of it.

"Ma'am you shouldn't be out here!" one of them shouted through the cloud of smoke around me. I didn't care if my house caught fire, I didn't care if I got burnt, hell I didn't care if the world went up in smoke. I stared up at the brackish slate sky as pain ripped through my body. "Ma'am!" he shouted. Closing my eyes slowly I stayed that way for awhile hoping the nightmare I was in was all an illusion, that I'd just wake up, that it would end. I opened my eyes. It hadn't. Darkness edged into my vision as I coughed up smoke, then I lost consciousness.

* * *

><p><em>Two weeks later<em>

* * *

><p>Carrying boxes to the moving truck I resisted the need to look over my shoulder in the hopes I would find my girlfriend's untouched house. Finally letting go I looked up at the signed lawn where her house had once stood, like a knife pain twisted in my chest as I walked towards the blackened ground. Breeze carding through my hair my eyelids slid shut as I inhaled, Ivy's sweet scent was gone, and instead the odor of decay had branded itself into my memory. Throat raw and eyes watery I stared into the tree line and pulled my sweater closer, the October wind much harsher than before. Warm hand curling around my shoulder I turned to find my dad with a sad look brewing in his eyes, no one else knew the horror of what had really happened. Everyone thought the entire Isley family had died in the fire, including my harmless girlfriend.<p>

"Come on," he said softly, "The truck is almost full."

* * *

><p>Back in my room I let my hands skate across the barren walls, heat bit behind my eyes, I could smell Ivy everywhere. Heart beating heavily I lay down in the center of the room and stared up at the ceiling. It was a miracle my house hadn't been burnt down but sometimes I wish it had, killing me in the fire before I had the chance to see her deterioration. Steadying my breathing I realized I had been there for a half hour, when I got up a hint of color caught my eye. Somehow I had missed it, on the window ledge a dark purple flower sat folded inward, left to wither and die for weeks. <em>She gave me that months ago. <em>The moment I held the pot in my hands I didn't want to leave, not when I still had a piece of her, no matter how damaged.

"Selina," my head snapped up at the sound of a voice, my heart calmed when I saw my mother. Her soft grey eyes washed over the dying plant in my grasp, I curled my hands around the clay protectively. My mother's expression became apologetic; she wasn't going to throw away the last token of my dead girlfriend. "We're leaving."

In silence I followed her slowly down the stairs desperately trying to absorb every lingering hint of Ivy, once I stepped through the door I held the flowerpot closer. In a haze of loss I got in the back of the truck as my mother got into the other car, my dad started the engine. Unfocused I knew he was talking to me, something about coming back to pick up my car later, I didn't care. Gazing out of the window in the backseat I couldn't seem to concentrate on anything, the further we drove the sicker I became. Stretched thin I pulled my knees in and held the flower securely in both hands where it stood on my stomach. Searing heat consumed my eyes and ran down my throat, tears wouldn't fall, the cold from outside crept through the metal and under my skin.

Darkness swept over the streets and the streetlights glowed dully in the rich black, my chances of finding her slimmed with every mile. Resting my head on my legs I let out a ragged breath, the pain that knocked between my lungs was unbearable, _I should have taken your hand. How could I let you go to Gotham alone? _Flashes of memory, of Ivy's blood stained hands and cruel eyes, swirled around my head. That girl wasn't the one I loved. The silence in the truck rang out loudly; '_I never needed you', _the words sliced deep into my mind. _I hate you so much_, I sobbed quietly against the flower.

* * *

><p><em>A few days later<em>

* * *

><p>Given the gravity of things I hadn't been required to come to school for the past weeks, but I chose to stay home on the 31st. Worlds away I only remembered what day it was when I saw disappointed children sulking away from our new house. Relieved I hadn't gone to school I simply lay down and stared out the window and watched the warm rusty sunset cool into a calm black. The next day the kids from school had held a vigil for her at her old house, the tiny flickering flames bobbing in the dark. Though my parents had said I shouldn't go because I wasn't ready I snuck out of the house as they slept. When I spotted the mass of candles in the distance I parked my car and walked up the familiar sidewalk until I met a group of around 40 people, I wasn't very shocked when I found teachers amongst the crowd.<p>

A few had tears trickling down their cheeks and clutched their candles tight, never touching the burnt earth, as if it were poison. Empty handed I simply stood, out of the entire crowd I couldn't grieve properly, not when I knew- hoped Ivy was still alive in Gotham, not when I knew what she had done. Envy festered in my gut, their pain would eventually fade, after all it was only the sad death of a family and their sweet daughter. But would I? Could I? At the moment I was the sole person that knew she was even _living_ combined with the constant regret, I wasn't sure I would heal so easily. Suddenly I found a familiar face in the crowd, expression calm tears streamed down the blonde's cheeks, Harley's stare full of distraught fury. Skin freezing over when her head turned my way, people gasped when she gripped my collar,

"How could you let this happen to Red?" she snapped.

Glowering I tore myself away from her frustration boiling in my chest, "Where were you when the fire started?" The candlelight washed over her and made her fierce expression sharpen as her navy blue orbs drilled into mine. Since the incident I hadn't really communicated with anyone, I had been dormant in my mind, but the blonde's words were slapping me awake. Bitter tears dripped down her face, "Why didn't you save her?" her voice was raw. By now everyone's eyes were focused on me, wanting me to answer the question when the real answer wasn't that simple. Harley's hands clutched at my collarbone clinging to the material there as her head dropped low, her shoulders shook as she cried.

Looking at her my irritation simmered down, "Why?" she sobbed, hand curling on her shoulder I slowly wrapped my arms loosely around her. Usually her eyes were bright and cheerful but know they were as dark as the circles under her eyes, with her unkempt hair and definite weight lost- my girlfriend's _death _had Harley unraveling. "I never got- got to," she choked between tears. Once the attention of the crowd left us I talked to her lowly,

"Harley listen to me," her deflated gaze met mine, "Ivy isn't dead," I whispered seriously. Shock played over her features,

"What?"

"Only her parents died in the fire," I explained, knowing she didn't need every gruesome detail.

"Where is she then?" she asked watery eyed.

"Somewhere in Gotham," I said lowly, pulling away from her.

Incredulous, she took in my words for a few minutes before responding,

"They should know she's been kidnapped, we can't leave her out there alone," Harley said devoutly, I shook my head.

"She wasn't kidnapped," I hissed, "Ivy chose to leave, no matter what we have to leave this the way it is. Nobody that's heard of her death can know." The blonde was trying to piece everything together in her mind with the vague information I had fed her.

"She left you behind?" her eyes were soft now, lump growing in the back of my throat I nodded silently,

"Not one person Harley can know, not if you care about her." Drifting into the shadows, away from everyone else I shook off the cold and slipped into my car.

* * *

><p>The next day at school everyone I encountered treated me like a piece of glass, even the people that had given me shit for being a lesbian were being decent to me. As months went by that effect had worn off completely and for a moment it felt like I might be able to have a normal life after losing her. It was late March now and the redhead's <em>death <em>was far behind most, though it still lurked in my memory and gave Harley hope. I said _might _have a normal life. At times, that specific hellish event could fade away in my thoughts, yet there was no denying how empty I felt. Day and night I was reminded of how alone I was without Ivy, she had been a precious piece of my life and now there was only the void she left behind. I wanted to hate her, to demonize her beyond recognition, but I couldn't bear the thought of tarnishing the memories we had shared.

Even before I had met Ivy I gave no real thought to the future, like most people my plan went: work, retire and die. With her gone I realized how little direction I had; every day that passed I felt like I was rotting away, never making progress. I couldn't sit through school most days because to me it was a waste of time. Everyone needs an education to get a good job, a career and have a family. But did I even want that? Was that lack of freedom something I could tolerate? The more I answered my own inner questions the more conventional ideals would blur and eventually erase themselves. For me there was no ultimate goal at the end of the road, at least not one I could currently see.

Slowly this feeling began to drive me insane and by May I was barely attending enough classes to graduate. Going to college was beyond me; nevertheless my parents still had high hopes for me. Having an intrinsic need to help Karen and Richard combined their genius and came up with an elaborate plan. The beginning was basic enough, I would tell my parents I was going to NYU. Richard sent out the fake acceptance letter, making sure all the emblems and fonts corresponded with the ones the university used. With her godlike computer skills Karen made sure any bank transactions from my parents to the college were rerouted into my bank account. That way everyone was happy.

When my parents asked about the extremely low tuition of five thousand dollars I told them I had gotten a few key scholarships. I didn't intend on lying to them **and** stealing from them, I just wanted them to be happy for me and at the same time not have to suffocate in college. While I was _attending_, I would really be living with Tommy downtown where the rent was cheap.

A week later I graduated with the rest of my high school class, I went out with the others to celebrate. Not one to usually attend parties, especially now, I kept up the façade for them. They didn't need to worry about how badly I was hurting. Everything was going smoothly, I was going to move for _college _in a handful of weeks. Somehow, I imagined that time in between would make me forget about her and for awhile it worked.

* * *

><p>One night I couldn't sleep. Trying to rid myself of insomnia I went for a walk, the warm June breeze skating across my skin while the dark curled around me. Listening to the gentle rustling of the trees I suddenly stumbled upon a police scanner in the distance,<p>

"Dispatch there's been a break-in at the community botanical forest."

"Doesn't that sound oh I don't know, a little mild?" the officer scoffed in response.

"The burglar has not been identified, but they have disarmed the security system that surrounds the extremely poisonous flora." The officers hearing the news didn't understand the importance of some weeds, but in the wrong hands they could do serious damage. Before I could understand what was happening I was running in the direction of the massive green house, everything around me became a blur. Finally skidding to a halt the rest of the world seemed to slam into my back. Trying to catch my breath my back bowed and I rested my hands on my knees, once I inhaled my body went rigid before I stood up straight. Drowning in the familiar scent I climbed the steps cautiously, _it has been months since-_. Heart beating out of my chest I paused to make sure I wasn't delusional, her fragrance had remained the same- though now there was a tinge of bitterness.

Stepping into the shadows I crept up along the wall, knowing someone was lurking beyond my vision I concentrated on the deepest shade of black. Was it the chance to see her or the danger I was in that had me so on edge? _That doesn't matter, not now._ Only when glass crunched underneath me did I realize I was horribly helpless in this setting, trespassing on her territory. Breath caught in my throat, a faint sound similar to her voice flitted across my mind- I saw a flash of glittering red ahead of me,

"Ivy?" my voice wavered.

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN;_** Were you expecting that? Have any predictions? _  
><em>


	18. Transformations and Transitions

**_Disclaimer: _I do not own any part of Batman. **

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>The sight of her slammed my body and knocked the wind out of me. An avalanche of past memories overwhelmed my mind, all accompanied by her sweet face.<p>

Forgotten pain knocked heavily between my ribs when I remembered the way her hot tears soaked through my shirt while her parents fought. Heat bit at my eyes when I recalled the way she would affectionately cling onto me when I walked her home on cold summer nights. Each step I made towards her I thought my heart would burst open, though she was an inky red shadow in the dark there was no doubting it was Ivy. Oblivious to my existence I watched as a sadistic smile curled on her red lips, the feel of each kiss we shared made me dizzy. Now her ruby colored hair tumbled down to her waist in uncontrollable waves and curls. There was a piece of her intact, no matter how much her personality had changed, there was no way to rid yourself of memories. The redhead still hadn't seen me behind her, words boiled in my chest as I watched her carefully pluck each plant before placing them in a container.

Somehow a woman so delicate had defended my reputation without a second thought, and had managed the brunt of whiplash that came with that decision. I wanted to tell her so much; I needed to apologize, I wanted to see her face again. What we had had, that hadn't been faked; I loved her more than seeing her smile, than holding her in my arms. Thinking about her wandering the cruel Gotham streets, alone, made me sick to my stomach. I hated myself for refusing to run away with her. Eyes running over her familiar shape I froze when grotesque red stains littered her arms. _Her parents' blood, she hasn't washed it off. _Suddenly I stopped, there was a reason I didn't go with her that day. Though we had been in love, a part of Ivy, the real Ivy died the moment she took her parents' lives.

Fire churned in my veins, what I was looking at was only a murderer wearing the mask of my dead girlfriend. She was nothing but poison. Slowly inhaling I focused on the present and began to bury the past deep in my mind; I didn't need to be chasing fantasies anymore. Starlight caught the slight turn of her head, an icy green stare washed over my skin when she faced me. The redhead didn't move any closer or step back, but stood there in a moment of silence, expression unreadable. Blood, the scent was faint but it was enough to catch my attention, my gaze shifted down to her bare feet, a small dark puddle formed around them. _She's hurt. _That single thought shattered the weak wall of disregard I had been building upon. Of all the things I needed to say to her the obvious,

"You're bleeding," stumbled out of my mouth.

Despite her strong stance I could still sense her fragility, as if to prove me wrong Ivy paid no attention to her sliced open feet. Instead her stare sharpened and along with her expression, her demeanor also darkened.

"You shouldn't have come. That invitation has long been off the table," she said coldly adjusting the strap of the pack she carried.

"That isn't why I'm here Ivy," I desperately tried to conceal my raw voice and the months of depression losing her had put me though. The redhead's eyes narrowed, both hands on her hips now,

"Then why are you here?" she asked sharply. _I don't know. I thought I wanted to see you but-. _

"I can't just let you waltz out of here, not when you killed innocent people," I finally found my voice.

Glowering she marched up to me,

"Please enlighten me," she snarled thick vines clutched at my wrists and ankles, "Explain to me how exactly they were innocent." Ivy's smooth tone became darker, "They only slaughtered my children." I tugged and fought against the tight grip but the redhead was too powerful,

"I'm sorry that they burnt down your garden and hurt you. I'm sorry I was the reason they did that. But they were **just plants, **you have to realize what you did was no better than what they did. A garden can grow back, your family stays dead." Rage radiated off of her, lips thin a line, suddenly she grasped my jaw,

"Say that again. Tell me how the filthy lives of my 'parents' outweighs an essence of pure emotion and thought. Tell me how much more _human _they were," she hissed.

My head spun when I recognized that fierce look in her eyes, heart beating unevenly I could hardly think straight. _Maybe I can save her from this before it spirals out of control. _

"Even if you don't confess- you don't need to be like this, to live this life," I said hoarsely. The redhead released my jaw and loosened the vines' hold on me in response.

"'This life'? I'm the happiest I've ever been Selina," Ivy said cockily at first, "If you just would've- we could still be-," something akin to sadness brewed in her softening eyes. The instant I noticed it I couldn't help the cold ache that branched out in my chest. In a blink she drowned that emotion, her expression hard again, the redhead turned rigid when she heard the wailing police sirens. _No, not again- a few more minutes I could get through to her. _Without a second glance her vines dropped me onto the ground littered with shattered glass, "I don't have time for this."

"Ivy wait," I swiftly followed her out, she had gotten much faster over the last few months. "Please," I wheezed. The redhead didn't stop running, or even glance back at me. All I could do was watch her melt into the night, her words hitting me just as her ruby red hair vanished into the black.

"I'm tired of waiting for you," she breathed softly.

* * *

><p>Minutes later the police surrounded the empty green house as I walked back home. Each step away from the last memory of her became more difficult; it felt surreal- like I had imagined it all. As I slipped into bed that night I stared up at the ceiling, finding sleep harder to achieve than before. I reached for my cellphone,<p>

"Hello?" my friend grumbled groggily.

"Tommy," I started, "How far is your apartment from Gotham?" I asked curiously. On the other line I could hear him muttering about it being three in the morning.

"Oh I don't know, I've never gone out and checked. Why are you suddenly asking about it anyway? You couldn't wait to have nut jobs for neighbors," he said mockingly.

"Answer the question," I said firmly.

"About two miles," he huffed, "Is that it? I would really like to get some sleep now."

"Thanks," I said softly before hanging up. _I can't force her to change, let alone come back. But I can make sure she doesn't hurt anyone else. _At that moment early in the morning I wasn't exactly sure why I needed to be closer to her, if it was to protect others Ivy could harm or to protect her from Gotham's infectious corruption. But I couldn't stay here any longer.

* * *

><p>"What do you mean you have to move out today? Why didn't you tell us sooner?" my mom asked the next morning. Her incredulous grey stare was making me anxious,<p>

"The housing program only recently updated the move-in dates for freshmen," I explained, "If I would have known sooner I would've told you." Leaning against the kitchen counter my dad drank his coffee as he thought,

"When do you start school again?"

"Two weeks from today," I stated, "They want us to get a feel for dorm life before we start classes."

"That's smart," he nodded slightly before going back to his coffee.

"Are you sure you don't want us to help you pack?" her eyes grew a little watery and a lump grew in my throat,

"No," I managed hoarsely, "I packed last night."

"What about the furniture? Do the freshmen dorms already have everything you need?" He suddenly put his mug down on the counter,

"More importantly," he started, "What do you mean two weeks from now? I know we haven't gone to college in a decade or two but I thought courses started in the fall," my dad said seriously. Swallowing the nervous lump in my throat I kept up my calm appearance,

"I signed up for summer courses dad," I said simply. Embarrassment warmed his face and he went back to his coffee again. Thankfully I knew just a bit more about college than they did, even though I didn't know much in general. My parents didn't question the small holes in my explanations and I was glad.

"Well?" my mom asked, "What about the furniture?" I scratched the back of my neck,

"I know the upperclassmen dorms have everything already, I'm not sure about the underclassmen though," I trailed off.

"Could you find out honey?" she asked. I nodded and took out my cellphone dialing Tommy's number,

"Yeah?" he answered.

"Excuse me my name is Selina Kyle," I started, "I was wondering about the furniture situation for the underclassmen dorms?"

"Your parents are in the room aren't they?" he asked in an amused tone.

"Yes." I fought the urge to scowl when I heard him chuckling through the phone, "Say if I was moving in today, would I have to bring in my own bed and everything?" I attempted to sound convincing.

"Today?" he choked, "Hey you could've warned me," he hissed, "I have _company _over."

"What about your hand?" I teased lowly turning away from my parents,

"I'm not sure I want to live with you anymore," he said sourly.

"So yes or no?" Tommy sighed on the other side; I could hear the creak of his computer chair as he sat back.

"Yeah you'll want to bring your own bed, maybe some other small stuff like a nightstand if you really want to."

"Thank you sir," I ended politely.

"See you later," he yawned.

* * *

><p>For a minute I forgot my parents were patiently waiting for my answer behind me,<p>

"I have to bring a mattress." A glimmer of hope lit their eyes at the opportunity to help,

"Do you need a moving van?" my dad asked.

"I think most of my stuff will fit in the Camaro," I smiled, "But thanks you guys." The longer I stood there the more heat bit at my eyes, I had always dreamed of moving away from them, but now I realized how much I would miss them.

"It's no problem," they looked seconds away from crying so I quickly went towards the stairs.

"I'm gonna start putting things in the car."

Luckily I didn't own that many things, I had a suitcase full of all of my clothes and shoes, a bed, nightstand and enough stuff to fill two boxes. Surprisingly we had bungee cables for the mattress to fit on the roof, as classy as that looked; the rest of my things easily fitted in the backseat and the trunk. Once I double checked for things I might've left behind I went down the stairs to find my parents waiting by the porch. As much as I wanted to simplify their lives by moving away I didn't want to face this moment. Clearing my throat I rubbed at my eyes in order to keep the tears at bay,

"So can we make this short and sweet and less like a chick flick?" I joked lightheartedly. They both laughed lightly, but I could see the melancholy brewing in their eyes.

"Mom," I wrapped my tight around her, I could feel her shaky breathing, I rubbed her back, "I love you." Unable to speak she went to her spot next to the door when I let go of her, next I hugged my dad and said the same thing, his arms tight around me.

"We're so proud of you Selina," he said hoarsely before patting my back. The instant that happened I noticed my vision blur a bit, I pulled away and quickly rubbed at my eyes.

"Well," I talked around the lump in the back of my throat, "I'll visit for Christmas and thanksgiving."

"Alright," they followed me out to the door and waited by car, I slipped inside and started the engine. "Good luck with college honey," my mom smiled despite her watery eyes as I pulled out of the driveway.

* * *

><p>I watched them through the rear-view mirror as they waved; they disappeared once I turned a corner to get onto the main road. The cool summer breeze snaked in through the windows as I picked up speed on the highway; once I stopped at a red light I couldn't help glancing at the empty seat beside me. Taking the next exit the big roads soon transformed into busy streets and nothing looked familiar to me anymore. Though it was still early morning, in June, something about the city made me feel uneasy. Here the sky wasn't a rich blue but a haunting white, the sun above a brassy orange instead of canary yellow. Though the Gothic architecture was beautiful ordinarily, combined with everything else it only added to the eerie setting. Cars and trucks hacked and coughed around me in mid morning traffic, I tapped my fingertips against the steering wheel.<p>

_I've never been this far downtown, _the second a large truck in front of me moved I froze oblivious to the angry honks roaring behind me. In the distance, a few miles away from where I was, an inky building with a tower sat on a hill. Skeleton trees that ripped into the sky surrounded the side and entrance gates of the asylum. Even though it was sunny outside I felt my insides turn to ice the moment I read the gate, _Arkham Asylum. I thought it was farther away from the city-, _snapping back into focus I started driving again. With the building finally out of view I began to wind back down, two miles was far away, Gotham was far away. Soon I pulled up to the address Tommy had given me.

* * *

><p>The apartment wasn't actually an apartment, but a small house like the ones in San Francisco. It had the same Gothic feel like the rest of the city, but it felt much less creepy due to the cat that was perched up on the porch napping. Parking the Camaro I started up the steps to the house, but when I heard the cat meow behind me I couldn't resist petting it. The smell of a cigarette made me turn, the brunette put it out and walked over to me. Over the last few months Tommy had gotten a few inches taller and his hair had grown a bit longer, now some of his bangs swept across his eye.<p>

"You made it," he smiled about to hug me. I pinched my nose and shook my head,

"You smell horrible, I should've known you hadn't quit smoking," I grumbled nasally.

The tall brunette laughed when he saw my mattress strapped onto the roof of my car,

"You would Selina." Scowling I started petting the cat again,

"Is he yours?" I asked running my hand through his calico fur. Arching a brow the teen looked around me,

"There you are Kitty," he grinned, "Yes he's mine, you like cats right?" he asked curiously. I nodded, trying to cover my smile, "What?"

"You named your cat Kitty?" I asked amused.

"Yeah," he said defensively, "Why?"

"Your creativity amazes me," I ruffled his hair with one hand while carrying the cat inside. The brunette made mocking sounds behind me, "Help me with the mattress?"

* * *

><p>A half hour or so I had my furniture and suitcase in my room; Tom leaned over the banister of the porch and kept watch on my car. It was quiet once I carried the last two boxes into my room, shutting the door of my bedroom I sat on the couch beside him. Something was missing from the living room, <em>wait. <em>

"We don't have cable or internet," he let out in a rush, "Well that's a load off my chest."

"It's okay," I sighed, "Should've told me before though." Kitty sat on my lap as he got up to make a sandwich in the kitchen, I got lost in the silence that rung throughout the house.

"Why did you call me last night asking about Gotham?" his voice was clear and firm even from the other room.

"I wanted to know if I should sell of my car, there's no point to own if it'll only get stolen," I stretched out my legs. When he rounded the corner he leaned against the wall, his dark eyes fully concentrated on mine,

"I don't like it when you lie to me. Now why did you ask?" My body became rigid and the cat jumped off of my lap, ignoring his stare I walked to my bedroom door. "Selina," his tone was softer now, fear shot up my spine the second I thought he knew my reason. I whipped around the moment his fingers reached my shoulder.

"I don't want to talk about it," I retorted. My friend stepped back away from me, his brows furrowed,

"Your eyes," he started slowly. In a flash I slammed my door behind me, locked it and sat on my bare mattress. Shoulders slumped my nails dug into my scalp as I shielded my face, sinking into the bed I tried to calm my breathing. _No one is supposed to know. _

Granted I had known Tommy since middle school, but I didn't want to imagine the disgusted expression he would wear the moment he learned the truth.

* * *

><p>Hours later, when the sun had set on the city I unlocked my door with a sigh. <em>I'll have to tell him eventually. <em>Tommy just had a way of getting answers out of someone, especially if they were having personal problems. The brunette never bombarded you with questions or babied you in anyway; he just sort of lingered in the corner of your vision, patiently waiting until you were ready to talk. The sound of shattering glass had me running to the front door,

"Hey what the hell do you think you're doing?" I heard Tommy shout from outside. _Shit, _I already knew he wasn't much of a fighter, actually I had never seen him fight anyone. Not even when he was teased about having an absent dad when we were young.

"The boss says we need wheels," I heard a second deeper voice, "This will do nicely."

"Get away from the car," Tommy hissed, I slammed open the front door, neither of the men turned around. "Go back in the house," the brunette said under his breath without taking his attention off the hulk near my car.

"And what are you going to do toothpick?" the gray haired man asked, the moment I saw a flash of metal under the streetlight I froze. Black eyes flicked up to meet mine from where I stood on the porch, "Oh I remember you," he smirked my stomach sank when I noticed the tattoos snaking up his arms. "You're the bitch that wouldn't hand over the schoolgirl."

"Hey," Tommy barked turning the man's attention away from me, "Just leave and I won't call the cops." In a flash Tommy was pinned to the car, the knife pressed tight against his neck, all I could hear was his erratic heartbeat,

"You think they have Gotham officers to spare kid?" he chuckled darkly. Before he could hurt him I swung down from the porch and tore him away from my friend, only to have his knife pointed at me now. A snarl came from behind him,

"Just leave," the voice was brassy and hoarse- it didn't sound like Tommy.

"Nah, I think I'll stick around," he stalked closer to me and all I could focus was the shine of the metal, I couldn't think straight. Suddenly a bone chilling growl rang through the air, onyx colored claws pierced into the thugs shoulders before hurling him to the ground.

* * *

><p>Blood trickled down his chest as he stared wide-eyed at the man that had flung him, I looked around for Tommy, the knife laid a few yards away. The streetlight nearest to us flickered and eventually went out,<p>

"I won't say it again," he snarled, even with my heightened senses I couldn't make out most of the details in the blackness, only silhouettes. In a second the hulk scrambled away, hardly able to run without stumbling,

"Freaks, you're all freaks," he screeched. The light flickered again before coming back to life, I stopped short when I saw pitch black skin. I looked closer, thick hair covered his back, legs, and arms, I rubbed my eyes. _Am I seeing things? _

"Tommy?" I asked turning my head as I scanned the area for the teen. Vivid yellow eyes drilled into mine when the man turned around, _there's fur all over, _my heart rammed into my ribcage, _his face. _

My head spun as I ran my eyes over whiskers, a pair of ears and a thick looking tail as it whipped back and forth.

"Well this is awkward," the muscular were-cat mumbled, I pinched my nose the moment I inhaled, the gross odor of cigarettes clung to his skin.

"_Tommy?_" I asked warily, my face turned hot, "Are you _naked_?"

"_Uhh_," he started, "Not if you count the fur covering my junk." I shielded my eyes with my hands,

"Go get dressed or something," I followed him at a safe distance.

"Thank god you're a cat person," he said nervously.

* * *

><p>A few minutes later he had changed and sat across from me on the couch, we hadn't said anything since we had gotten inside the house.<p>

"What are you," I asked carefully, "Anyway?"

"A mutant," he said simply. "Do you get why I don't fight now?" he turned to me. My brows furrowed,

"So you shift when you fight- why doesn't it happen when you fought with Dick or Kenny?" I asked confused. He shook his head,

"That's completely different, I'm in no real danger then. It's controlled by instinct at first, well at least most the time, but I can turn back whenever I want."

"_Interesting_," I said softly, not able to think up a better come back. _Do all my friends have some crazy secret? _

"It's nice knowing you're taking this all so calmly, Dick totally freaked out," he grumbled. "With all the things we have in common we're practically cousins."

"What do you mean?" _Dick knew about this? _

"Your eyes glow yellow sometimes, mine do too, you have a tail and so do I," he explained.

"How did you know I have a tail?" I gasped, the smoker shrugged in response,

"I'm observant. Oh hey, just a thought- maybe we should park you're broken- into Camaro in the garage," he smiled. Still trying to wrap my head around this news I handed him the keys and waited for him in the garage. _He knew this entire time- and he still continued to hang out with me? _

The second he patted my shoulder I felt all fuzzy,

"So," we walked back into the living room. "I'm happy we're all on the same page now," Kitty leapt onto his lap and went to sleep. "It was weird knowing your secret when you didn't know mine, I didn't like it," Tommy frowned.

"Does Dick know," I asked anxiously, "About me?" The brunette nodded and took a sip of his beer, "When were you guys going to tell me you knew?"

"When you told us," he said seriously, "You would've thought we were spying on you if we told you any sooner." A frown settled on my face when I realized he was right, I would've freaked out.

* * *

><p>"What should I call you now," I smirked, "Were-cat-man?"<p>

"That sounds ridiculous," Tommy snorted, "I prefer were-panther anyways. What about you Catlady?"

"No," I laughed, "We should stop playing this game, the names will only get cornier." A minute or two passed and we both kept up small conversation, we had to since we had no internet or TV. But it wasn't all unpleasant.

"What's so important about Gotham Selina?" My heart sped and I didn't want to talk to him anymore, I didn't want to talk to anyone about Ivy.

However, I didn't want to keep anything from Tommy or Dick, not when they had stuck around knowing my mutation.

"I'm only going to say it once and we aren't going to talk about it ever again," I said firmly. Tommy nodded seriously, "Ivy is alive and she is in Gotham. Only I and Harley know this and that's because she doesn't want to be helped, let alone found out." The lanky teen looked shocked for an instant, but then his expression melted back into his usual calm.

"So you're here for her," Tommy sat back, "I can understand that, but why? What do you plan on doing if she doesn't want your help?"

* * *

><p><em>I don't really know. <em>

"I'm here to look after her," my chest started to ache, "Even- even if she doesn't want to be with me, even if she's changed I don't want her to be **alone**."

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><p><strong><em>AN;_**Only _about_ five more chapters everyone. Anything you disliked/liked? Perhaps questions or constructive criticism? **New chapter coming soon. ****  
><strong>


	19. The Birth of Catwoman

_**Disclaimer: **_**I do not own any part of Batman.**

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><p><em>A few months later<em>**  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Selina POV<br>**

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><p>"How much is rent this month?" I asked and desperately tried to ignore my own sharp hunger pangs.<p>

"Too much," Tommy retorted, he looked equally famished as he scanned the refrigerator for the third time, only to find cartons of water.

"Seriously," I sat up on the couch, "How bad is it?" The brunette ran a hand through his thick hair,

"Well since neither of us has a job or money," he sighed heavily, "We're down about eight hundred." I had honestly forgotten what solid food felt like and was seconds away from dumpster diving. Alright, maybe I could last another day. Tommy had been recently fired from his part-time job at the marketplace, because he had been stealing food near its expiration date. For a city so ridiculously large, it was impossible to find jobs here if you hadn't gone to college or didn't plan on being part of the Gotham City police force.

"Alright," I swallowed, "When is it due?" I asked worriedly. His face fell for a moment and then he tried to appear hopeful, if only for my sake.

"The end of this week," my roommate couldn't possibly make that sound positive. I fought the urge to slam my head against the wall, it was Tuesday, which meant we only had three days to get eight hundred dollars. We didn't sell drugs and we definitely didn't work the East End, there was no way we could get that money. When I saw him put on his coat and walk towards the front door I sat up straight,

"Where are you going?" I asked curiously.

"I'm gonna go shoot some pool down at the hall, hopefully make a couple of bucks," he smiled. The stress of the situation shone through the slight bags under his eyes and the fact he had shed a few pounds.

I felt utterly useless; even though I had sold my car the money from it had only lasted us two months. The bank where we stored our money was too close to the center of Gotham, it had been robbed and well, blown up, so we didn't get a refund of any kind. Seven thousand dollars went up in flames. Tommy had saved up what he could from his job of two months, now, between us we had breadcrumbs and loose change. "Anyway," he opened the door, "Don't wait up." I nodded sharply as he shut the door, when I went to lock it I caught a glimpse of a woman outside; the shine of her wedding ring caught my eye. Suddenly, I knew how we could pay the rent. _Time to go to the City. _

* * *

><p>Tonight there was no moon to shine down on me as I crept through the shadows of the City. Crowds buzzed and traffic wailed by, completely oblivious to my existence; I swiftly climbed a fire escape in order to get out of the dank alleyways. Practically invisible I leapt from rooftop to rooftop in silence, every once in awhile I'd look up at the sky in search of stars, but in this city there were none to be seen. Anxiety began to gnaw at the back of my mind as I closed in on my destination, it was the largest jeweler in Gotham and it had tight security. It had motion sensors, and fingerprint scanners at every door, all it was missing were actual guards; <em>robbing this place will be my greatest accomplishment.<em> What I didn't understand was the reason the owners would even move their warehouse/store _here_, the crime capital of the States. It was like they hoped they'd get robbed, _or maybe they're just after the insurance. _Once the sleek, well-maintained building came into view my gut twisted nervously.

After I scanned for cameras, which were abundant, I checked for bystanders and found the sidewalks strangely empty. Thankfully, all of the surveillance was faced downward, focused on every door. Still somewhat uneasy, I tried to calm down as I stepped back a few feet on the iron beam I had been standing on. Concentrated on the forty foot distance I sprinted, leapt off the construction site and landed on the ledge of a back window. Frustration boiled in my lungs when I spotted motion detectors inside, placed on either wall. I _might have underestimated this place. _Wordlessly I dug into my jean pockets and found small, twin mirrors. Luckily there were no pressure monitors on the windowpane itself.

Next I put the mirrors away, carefully reached into my back pocket and pulled out one special- purpose razor blade. Sure to keep it steady, I swiftly cut a long rectangle into the glass, which fell back into my hands without a sound. A satisfied grin curled on my lips when I slipped inside and automatically deflected the motion-reacted lasers with the mirrors. The second I stepped forward I slid the reflectors back into my jeans, _where do I begin?_ A forest of tangled red beams sputtered to life ahead of me, _crap, _I looked back and only found a few feet for me to get a running start. _I should really start planning ahead of time. _Calm all of the sudden I sprang into the lasers and managed to twist and dodge my way into the center of the room. Fear shot up my spine when metal screeched as it barred the exits, flashlights bobbed in the darkness downstairs. _Did I trip some hidden sensor? _

Blackness blanketed me once the lasers vanished abruptly,

"The internal security has been deactivated," a man said gruffly. "The cameras are still online so we can catch the Bat if he decides to drop by for a visit." _Who? _

"Never," a man with a shrill voice snapped, "Bring _him _up, we can't afford to jinx this assignment." Down the hall the melodic click of heels against hardwood edged closer; hidden in the shadows upstairs I crept to the banister and peered down at the intruders. From where I was I only saw three men, two of which were built like brick houses and had tattoos covering half of their faces, the last one was scrawny and had greasy long hair. Curiosity replaced fear as I watched them, _interesting. Two 'roid freaks and, _the last man kept shifting his eyes across the room, itching at the inside of his elbow so much I wouldn't doubt it was bleeding, _a junkie. _

_I should just grab the jewels and go, they won't hear me up here, _but something kept me glued to my spot. Yet again the feminine footsteps danced just out of my line of vision, I sneaked down the steps, my heart jumped into my throat the moment I caught sight of two more men. Sitting by the surveillance monitor down the hall a tall blonde picked under his nails, he looked surprisingly common behind his thin rimmed glasses. Another testosterone experiment guarded the front entrance, brass knuckles curled around his fists as he glared at his flickering flashlight. _I need to get out of here. _About to head back up the stairs I froze in the shadows when the blonde glanced up, his solid dark eyes saw through me. I fought the urge to sigh when he went back to the obnoxiously bright screen. Pressed against the wall I searched for any closer exits, my heart sped at the sight of flowing, blood red hair as a woman sauntered into view.

The redhead had her back turned to me, she was donned in all black and her straight hair swayed down to her lower back. A desperate hope made my heart flutter involuntarily. Eyes already adjusted to the dark I gazed at her petite form and picked out the small details of her clothes. The leather jacket she wore only went to her waist and the top she had on underneath it was silky and clung tight to her body. Lastly I found the wicked heels that gave her all the right curves, and made her at least three inches taller.

* * *

><p>"Look at you," she purred, her voice was unbearably unfamiliar. Brawny arms suddenly pinned my arms behind my back, overhead lights flickered to life.<p>

Caught off guard I could hardly make out their blurred faces, I shut my eyes and tried to focus. Eyelids slowly opening my vision finally cleared, I glanced up in time for her to turn; the redhead's luscious lips were pulled up in a smirk. "Little stray," she said mockingly, the woman rested her hands on her hips. A fire raged at the back of my skull while she dissected me with her crimson stare, "Look into my eyes." Pale blue glowed around her irises; the men released me once they knew she had control of my body. Electricity clawed through my thoughts,

"What're you-?" I hissed in pain,

"Shh," she said softly, "You don't get to talk, yet." Little by little I realized I was being lifted off the ground, the toes of my sneakers dragged against the floor as the redhead pulled me closer.

Red eyes glazed over in a trance a slight smile pulled at her lips, "You thought I was your ex," her sharp canines glittered while she chuckled. "Ah, remember the eyes," she warned, "Your mind wanders when your eyes can't." _You-you're reading my mind? _An indescribable sensation buzzed under the surface of my skin, _**you should be flattered, you're the first person I've tried this on since I got this new identity. **_"Start grabbing the jewels," she ordered over her shoulder, I stumbled backwards when I gained control of my body. "You just might be useful," her fingers trailed her lower lip in blatant flirtation. Heat coiled low in my stomach when I caught the way she held her elbows close to her waist. It was impossible to ignore how her cleavage jutted over the top of her corset.

"You aren't my type," I said dryly, I became uneasy when the redhead circled me calmly, her expression observant.

"Oh, but I could be," my heart caught fire with frustration when she faced me. Wild scarlet curls now tumbled down past her waist and pretty freckles dusted her pale skin, soft brown eyes gazed up at me. "Right Selina?" Hatred boiled in my chest, "Or does this do it for you?" her irises cooled into an icy lime color.

"Who are you?" I snarled, hands balled into fists, hardly able to keep myself from strangling her.

"All that pent up anger," she grinned, "will definitely be useful. You can call me Looker," she shifted back into her original form. "So, what'll it be?"

Just for an instant I gave it a thought, _why am I even thinking about this? _Clarity broke over me, I didn't want to join up with them simply because Looker could _pretend _to be Ivy. I knew that was why I didn't immediately decline.

"No," I said firmly, anger washed over the redhead's soft features,

"What was that?" she asked evenly.

"Is your mojo not working?" I growled, "I said no." Before I could blink I was thrown across the room, glass shattered against my back when I collided with a display tower.

"Take care of her," Looker barked before she turned away to shove the jewels into her briefcase.

* * *

><p>The first three men I had seen charged at me, the shine of a blade caught my eye, <em>damn it. <em>In a blur I rested back on my hands before I swiped my legs underneath them. Both of the thugs had tripped and toppled over each other, _the best they can do is run at me?_ I spotted a switchblade out of the corner of my eye, back on my feet I turned in time for the junkie to lunge. There was a crazed look in his eyes that wasn't because of drugs, _she- she's controlling them, _I hurled my fist into his stomach and snatched the blade from his hand. When I glanced back at Looker she was preoccupied with the gems, but somehow I knew she was playing puppeteer. Without thought I dashed in her direction, the blonde near the monitor stared up at me, the instant I got within reach of her I slammed into a blue wall of light.

With the wind knocked out of my lungs the ceiling whirled above me and voltage ripped through my body. Something dark fluttered outside, I could see the night sky through the large skylight,

"Such a pest," she snapped, "I'm already doing _all of this _by myself." Giving me a dirty look the man with stringy brown hair reached down, and snatched up his switchblade before returning to his corner of the large room.

"Hey boss," the man shouted from the entrance, "There's some-," he was interrupted.

"I don't care," Looker snarled, "Why don't you steal the jewels, and I'll be the idiot that stares uselessly out the peephole?" Since I was paralyzed for the most part I rolled my head to the side, it was hard to make out, but something was definitely being caught by the cameras. Worry painted the blonde's face, since he didn't say anything I guessed she was reading his mind too. "What?"

Above me the skylight shattered, heart thundering in my chest I watched as an inky shadow swooped down, the glass shimmering around it as it fell. A more colorful wisp soon followed, I had to close my eyes to protect them from the broken shards. Once the tinkling of glass stopped I opened my eyes, in the edge of my vision, the dark mass rose from the floor and took the shape of a man. Eyesight still blurry I could've sworn long, wicked wings sprung out of his back; quickly blinking to steady my eyes I realized he simply wore a cape. _Who the hell is that? _

"Shit," one hulk gasped, one precise kick to the gut sent him tumbling onto the floor, where he spat up blood.

"It's the Bat!" the junkie's cry filled the entire room and left it ominously quiet. _The- Bat? _Once the redhead whirled around from her station for an instant I felt sensation slowly returning to my body, her concentration was broken; the thugs on the other hand stormed the man who wore all black. Mind reeling I slowly pushed myself up off the hardwood, my legs still felt hollow.

Nausea bubbled in my stomach, the flickering lights above only made it worse; I brushed away the shards of glass that dusted my clothes. Without warning it went dark again, luckily my heightened senses snapped back into focus, even if my body was still reawakening. The strange man continuously held my attention, the way he moved was all-consuming. Each kick and punch he dished out to his enemies was calculated and fierce, yet it appeared effortless and bordered on graceful. In a few seconds flat he left the three tattooed men bloody and groveling on the ground. Even though her back faced him, he cautiously inched closer;

"Looker," he growled, his voice dark and brassy. Breath escaped me for a moment, _he- he's amazing. _

* * *

><p><strong>Richard POV<strong>

* * *

><p>Reflective yellow eyes glowed from the shadows a couple yards away, icy anxiety shot up my spine. This wasn't my first mission as Robin, far from it; I had joined up with Bruce numerous times. <em>But Vamps? How the hell are we supposed to get the upper hand? <em>He had told me Looker had been turned and that all the others had been forced out of Gotham years ago. So then, who exactly owned the haunting pair of eyes sizing Bruce up? Large shards of glass started to tremble and shake on the floor, for a second I simply stared down, puzzled by the anomaly. He stepped forward and I kept watch on the men underfoot, the realization hit me too late; Looker turned and pieces of the skylight shot into the air threateningly.

"Batman!" I shouted as I hurled a hand bomb in the redhead's direction. Instinctively Bruce shielded his eyes with a sweep of his cape; behind squinted eyes I watched as searing white light exploded and poured into every shadow of the room.

Looker roared in pain and hunched over the counter, she clutched her face and clawed at her eyes as if she could tear out the powerful ultraviolet beams that way. Simultaneously a hiss of pain sounded from the corner of the room, where the other Vamp must've been hiding. When I looked up I caught a glimpse of Looker's blotchy, bubbling skin in the half light. Bile burned at the back of my throat and my stomach did somersaults; she lifted her head and her crimson stare pierced through me.

"Clever as always," her voice was gravelly and raw; my heart surged up into my throat when blue ignited around her irises, her skin pale and porcelain smooth again, "Robin." Confusion gnawed at my thoughts, _we've never met. _Before I could reach for another UV grenade branding hot electricity snaked into my veins; my knees buckled and I collapsed onto the ground.

A scream boiled in my lungs but only a hoarse whimper passed my lips, hardly able to breathe I realized I was paralyzed, every non- vital muscle had froze over. Blackness edged into my vision and the unbearable, clawing pain swallowed me whole.

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

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><p>Retinas still sizzling I stumbled back into the wall, luckily I caught the glint of a switchblade before it could be buried into my ribs. Leaping up into the air I grabbed hold of the upstairs banister and took a second to recollect myself; the junkie grunted when I landed on his back and sent him crashing face first into the hardwood.<p>

"Bitch," he snarled as he tried to scramble onto his hands and knees; foot crushing down on his spine I went to pluck the blade from his tight grasp. Annoyed at the fact he didn't let go, I grabbed hold of his right arm and twisted until I heard a wonderful crack. Weak and broken he rolled onto his side, and howled in pain as I slipped the switchblade into my pocket.

"Didn't anyone tell you?" I smirked triumphantly, somewhat out of breath, "Never bring a knife to a cat fight."

The creak of a spring and the click of a cylinder snapping into place resonated in my mind; my body was thrown into motion before the muzzle flashed or the bullet whizzed by. "Cute," I growled, my gaze settled on the blonde's concrete glare, more shots crackled, the flashes danced in the darkness. With ease I sidestepped each, I remained calm as I honed in on his erratic heartbeat and the quick thrum of blood in his veins. After he had unloaded the entire clip, he threw his useless gun to the floor and charged at me at full speed. Jumping back into the shelter of the shadows I tracked each disoriented whip of his head, his glasses reflected any trace of light, making him an easy target. Back facing me I slammed my foot into the back of his knee, and swiped his steady leg out from under him when he didn't immediately drop. Primal hisses of pain passed his vocal chords, yet he managed to push himself off the ground like it was nothing.

Out of the five thugs I had doubted the computer geek would've had the highest tolerance for pain.

"Might have to break those long legs of yours," he snarled, his expression furious. Once he lunged forward I realized something, the blonde wasn't human, not a hundred percent anyway. Half concealed in the shadows I swiftly dodged his fist before it barreled into my jaw. Barely able to juggle the blonde I was slightly aware there was another fight going on. Turning for a brief moment I found "_Batman_" suspended in mid-air, clawing at his own throat in order to pry off the redhead's invisible grip. On the other hand Looker wore a look of pure satisfaction as she leaned back against the counter, her crimson eyes aglow with amusement.

Thinking on my toes I caught hold of the blonde before he could crash into me and heaved him into the siren. Caught off guard she turned, mind sent into overload she braced herself and hurled me into the nearest wall. Hot pain branched across my shoulder blades as I slid down the wall, the back of my skull throbbed from the impact. Though my senses were temporarily hazy I knew the blonde had taken the brunt of the collision, and had definitely been knocked out when his body punched through drywall. A second thud sounded, my eyelids slid open to find the masked man standing, before he reached down to his belt. Anger hardened Batman's already thunderous expression, he sent something similar to a boomerang slicing through the air. Having just emerged from the rubble Looker stumbled, she caught sight of the object too late.

With a sickening crunch it lodged itself into her breastbone, maybe deeper. Blood didn't soak through her clothes, the woman's head fell back and she let out an earsplitting scream. Even if I my head wasn't spinning I wouldn't have be sure of what I saw next. Mere milliseconds passed and her entire shape began to quiver, color quickly faded from her skin and eyes. In the darkness I watched as sandy beige replaced her tempting outfit and even her lustrous red tresses. _What the hell? _It all felt like a twisted nightmare. Looker was- _deteriorating_; the flesh nearest to the wound splattered onto the floor, and she folded into herself. In a blur, the melting clay colored form dashed to the front door, before she suddenly dropped onto the ground before vanishing.

"Damn," he said through his teeth, a wounded groan sounded from the center of the room, the lights flashed on again and faint heat bit at my over sensitive eyes. Strength returning to me I sat up before I leaned against the wall; Batman quickly ran over to the young man frozen on the floor, black cape fluttering as he crouched beside him. _Get out before they attack you too dumbass, _I knew I needed to get out, but for some reason I didn't want to. Granted I couldn't see his eyes, but a whirlwind of concern, anger and guilt played over his features, the idea someone so brutal could even look that way was fascinating. He gently let a gloved hand run down the side of the raven haired man's face,

"Can you stand?" he asked in a soothing tone, not at all matching his previous fierce demeanor.

"Yes," the other croaked and nodded languidly, "I'm fine." Batman brought his injured partner to his unstable feet; the shorter of the two struggled a little.

"When we're done here," he said gruffly, "We're immediately heading back to the cave. I don't care how _fine _you feel, no one just bounces back from Looker's attacks without repercussions." The brightness of the wounded man's disguise was ridiculous for a city as gloomy and dark as Gotham; something felt familiar but I couldn't place it. Seeing my chance I silently crept up the stairs when the two started rounding up the groaning, battered henchmen. Picking up my small pouch I had dropped on the ground I ducked out of their view, and carefully plucked a few sapphires out of the shattered display case.

"What the hell?" a man screeched downstairs, "Where am I, Ba-Batman?" a thud sounded and I assumed he had fainted. Abruptly a hand tightly gripped my forearm, and pulled me away from where I hovered over the jewels.

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><p>Before I could stop him the masked man ripped the pouch out of my hand,<p>

"Hey," I snapped angrily and turned to face him,

"They aren't yours," his tone was clipped and calm. With a quick twist of my body I slipped out of his iron grip. One foot already out of the window I felt cool metal curl around my wrists, before I was yanked back inside the building.

"My luck," I hissed irritably as he forced me down the stairs, "You would have cuffs." Honestly I could've escaped even with the handcuffs, I just wasn't sure I could outrun him. Standing in front of him a smile curled on my lips once I took in the sight of the five men being roped up like cattle.

"You broke his arm," he commented the second my eyes landed on the man with greasy, stringy hair, and his bent back arm, "Impressive," he added neutrally. Rising out of his crouch the raven haired man stood and dusted himself off,

"I contacted Gordon, his men are on their way. How did Looker just teleport like that?" he asked curiously, "I've studied her files and have never heard of her having that ability." Hand securely kept on my arm he moved over to the front door, lumpy gobs of beige clung to the air vent nearby,

"What is that?" I asked under my breath.

"You mean liquefy," Batman corrected, "That was never Looker, that was Lady Clay," he ended grimly.

"Who is that?" the way we asked in sync was unnerving, the young man's hard eyes glanced my way.

"She didn't exist a few years ago, her powers and weaknesses are the same as Clayface's," he explained, _oh great more names I don't know. _"And just like him she gains the power of those she mimics, thankfully she also acquired Looker's Achilles heel, sunlight."

"Why did you call her Looker to begin with, if you knew who she really was?" he asked seriously.

"Had I called her Lady Clay, Robin, she would've instantly known I had laced the batarangs with solvents. Telepathy is a very tricky thing."

"Oh," Robin nodded in silent agreement, "Do you know why she came here of all places? What she was planning?" The silence that rang in the air was tense,

"I don't know," he admitted reluctantly. "It must've been serious, otherwise she wouldn't have had to use mind control," he motioned to the criminals.

Deep in thought I was trying to place together what exactly had felt so familiar, more disturbed by it than the thought of a clay-woman running around with other people's faces. Wary navy blue eyes met mine,

"What does this other Vamp have to do with it?" Robin asked cautiously. Instantly my eyes dropped to the "R" on his disguise, the familiarity of his voice sank into my mind, the realization hit me without warning.

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><p>"Vamp?" I hissed angrily, thoughts going a mile a minute I searched for the right words, "What the hell is wrong with you, Dick?"<p>

"Selina?" Richard's tone caught between shocked and disappointed, "This- this is what you do," he shook with anger, "Rob jewelry warehouses?"

"Some of us have to survive," I retorted, "And like it's all that shocking. I'm not the one fighting crime beside some- some masked vigilante."

Blush burned my cheeks when I pieced everything together, since freshmen year he had gone out and trained.

"I take it you two know each other," the man rumbled without humor. _Oh god, that's the man he's in love with, _with what happened a few minutes ago I wondered if that was a two way street. Richard let out an annoyed sound in response,

"Can I get a minute?" Batman nodded coolly and the raven haired teen took my arm and dragged me away from his love interest,

"Keep it short," the man stated firmly.

"Get me out of these cuffs," I growled threateningly once we were out of earshot.

"I can't believe you," he snapped, I involuntarily recoiled, Richard had never been this angry in front of me, not to mention at me.

"You think I'm here by choice, huh?" I asked sharply.

"We'll talk later," he kept his voice low and level, only his stare revealed his exhaustion, he reluctantly took off my handcuffs. "Get out of here before the cops come." Once his words registered my anger cooled, I nodded before slipping out of the window and melting into the night.

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><p>Guilt and frustration gnawed at my insides once Tommy walked through the door, looking ungodly hungry. <em>I can't do anything right. <em>Feeding him was more important than my own clawing hunger. The question _'how did pool go?' _didn't even cross my lips, I already knew he hadn't won anything. Miraculously I scrounged up four dollars from under my bed and the couch cushions; Tommy's expression lit up when I told him we had enough for food. We both walked around the corner and ordered Chinese food to-go, back home I passed the medium sized container of noodles over to my friend, he eyed it ravenously.

"You sure you don't want any?" the brunette asked worriedly, I nodded,

"I ate earlier," I lied easily. "Really it's okay," I reassured him, some weight rose off my shoulders when I watched him happily tear into his food.

An unfamiliar knock at the door had me on my feet, not having a peephole I opened the door hesitantly. No longer wearing his bright get-up, Richard stood stiffly on the doorstep; intense blue eyes met mine, a frown pulled his mouth down.

"Are you going to let me in?" he asked lowly, his tone still had an edge to it.

"Depends," between failing a simple task and hunger tearing me in half, I was not in a good mood. "Did you come here to hand me over to the police?" I growled. The raven haired teen didn't blink, his serious gaze just bored into me, I hated it when he did that. I pushed the door open and let him in, sighing as I shut the door.

Tommy's head instantly shot up,

"Hey," he waved, almost choking on his food; the shaggy haired smoker went up to him and gave him a one-armed hug. "What're you doing here?" he pulled away, "Not that I'm complaining," trying to sound unfazed by his good friend's arrival. "More testosterone is always welcome here."

"It's not like I'm the reason there's food in your stomach or anything," I grumbled under my breath before collapsing onto the couch.

"I thought I'd visit," Richard responded smoothly. _Oh sure. _Tommy grinned,

"Wait, how did you know where we live?" he asked curiously.

"Selina gave me the address."

"Oh," the brunette nodded, "Okay."

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><p>"So how have you two been?" Richard asked, looking out of place as he sat on the stool in the kitchen.<p>

"Great," Tom quickly answered, not wanting to share how terrible our financial situation was. After a few minutes of catching up, the blue eyed teen finally got around to his point.

"How do you afford this place? I mean- job opportunities are pretty nonexistent here."

"We sell what we can," I huffed as I sat up, Tommy's constant lying bugged me. "Remember that bank that was blown to bits a few months ago?" I asked, "Well our savings were in there." It was uncomfortably quiet for awhile, Tommy was too ashamed to say what needed to be said, to admit we needed help.

"Oh," Dick responded softly, the usual precursor to an apology, but this time it didn't happen.

"Do you understand now?" I asked firmly, confusion played over Tommy's face,

"That doesn't mean you can keep stealing, Selina."

"How is it _not_ justified in this situation?" I snapped. Richard's cool gaze connected with mine,

"You could've always asked us for help," he supplied.

"Ask you for help? I didn't even know you had moved to the City," I hissed.

"Wait-what?" Tommy turned to me, "You- you've been out robbing people?" I shook my head,

"Places not people, I'm not a mugger or a burglar." Irritation finally settled in, "It's not like I'm doing it for kicks," I growled. The brunette suddenly stood up and ran a hand through his thick hair,

"There is no difference," he was unusually upset by this," You're still taking money away from people that have earned it."

"Yeah, in order to keep us from being homeless," I shouted, anger heating my body. _What a great time for you both to agree. _

"With the life I live now," Richard's calm voice proved to be more powerful than my shouting. He paused looking me straight in the eyes as he said, "This is something that could end our friendship." Thrown completely off balance I simply stared down at him,

"What did you say?" I asked with shock.

"You heard me," he said evenly. My heart thundered in my chest and my irritation still boiled hot, but worry wormed into my thoughts. _We- we've known each other for seven years, how- how could you say that so easily? _

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><p>I wanted to tell him that he was being ridiculous, but that might push him to act on his word; in spite of how stupid this situation was, I didn't want to lose him as a friend. And so a small, forced smile curled my lips, showing them I knew they were right and would stop. But Dick continued to talk, explaining the repercussions of my actions at length. For once in my life I didn't believe in Richard; the pity and concern churning in his whirlpool eyes made me want to punch his face. Now that he was a part of something, and was <em>'doing things for the greater good'<em> he thought I was beneath him. My gut twisted when I realized that's probably how both of them viewed me now, as this helpless girl who had lost herself to the City's corruption. Every inch of me wanted to completely explode, but that wouldn't do any good. Instead I nodded politely in an attempt to bury down my frustration. I hated that patronizing look on either of their faces, I had grown tired of it being thrown my direction throughout my life.

I was smarter than they gave me credit for, and the fact they still only saw me through their black and white, cut and dry filter was disheartening. Yes, I had stole from people for the last couple of weeks, but only from those who cheated innocent people out of living happy lives. Aside the rigged ballot system, it was the only way I could truly make a difference, with my unconventional form of justice. Was it what they deserved? Yes. Was it legal? No. Most of time, the Gotham police didn't give much attention to fraud or scams, how could they? The police force there are overwhelmed by homicidal maniacs and psychotic bank robbers. So I practically lived in the shades of grey these two refused to acknowledge. They simply labeled what I was doing as wrong, and over stepping my boundaries.

Quietly I walked over to my bedroom and let Dick and Tom continue their conversation. Without much thought I started shoving my belongings into my backpack: I filled the pack with clothes, toiletries and a few photos of my parents. I warily glanced at the withered dahlia that sat in its pot on my nightstand, before carefully adding it to my things. _With Dick's help Tom can definitely manage the rent without me._ _I'll show you how capable I am, even if going out on my own is the only way to do it. _Rain painted the concrete below a darker shade of slate; I leapt down two stories and landed on the sidewalk. Before I set off I quickly checked if anyone had seen me, I flipped my jacket's hood over my head when I realized I had gone unnoticed. Tonight was the last night anyone would belittle my actions.

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><p><strong><em>AN;_** So I obviously tweaked Looker's weaknesses a little. This chapter gave me a hard time for a bunch of reasons. But what do you think? Anything you liked/disliked? This is the last time you'll see Selina as a teenager.


	20. Familiar Faces

_**Disclaimer: **_**I do not own any part of Batman. **

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><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

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><p>Six years had passed and Gotham had shoved me out of my naïvety and into harsh, dark reality. Today, I'm no longer the almost high school dropout, who dabbled in petty theft to pay the rent. I had grown beyond that, for the most part I now attended banquets and plays, but not for the entertainment. Instead, I come to meet the charming politicians, targeting those who I knew meddled with the underbelly of the City. At night, while respectable citizens slept, I slipped into townhouses or estates; after I had grabbed what I wanted I would leave. In the beginning I had left my involvement at that. However, the sickening, sheer population of discarded, abandoned souls in Gotham soon overwhelmed me. So, late at night, I would silently stride down damp alleyways, and let a few small jewels tumble out of my sleeves and into their Styrofoam cups.<p>

What about the rest of the City's bottom-feeders? I let others go after them, mainly. It was _insane _to believe one person could rid this place of filth. But there was such a man, who never gave up on that sole mission. Out of thousands of men I had met, he alone had me questioning my before, written in stone, sexuality. It wasn't his attractiveness, but his intellect, outright boldness and true concern for the citizens that caught my eye. My thoughts surrounding Batman never stepped into the sexual realm, but bordered around it. Though it felt childish and fruitless, I constantly felt the urge to make him notice me. At first it started out with ridiculously risky robberies; as much as I'd hate to admit it, I still can't shake the instinct when I join him on operations.

Thankfully I quickly realized gaining and keeping his attention, was like trying to catch a falling star. There was also the obvious fact the only one who got near to his heart was his partner, Richard. It amazed me how Bruce managed to stay fully committed to their relationship, while he remained devoted to the City. Not to mention how dangerous it was. Then again, most criminals were too thick to put two and two together. During high school we never knew why he had so many absences, if it was because he was sick or because he just wanted to cut class. Now however, it was incredibly clear. Richard had mastered both combat and defense after, what I could only imagine was ruthless training with Bruce. My friend had always been wiser than the rest of us; time had only strengthened that impression.

To those who didn't know his real identity, he was Robin, although now he went by Nightwing. Bruce's and Richard's friendship was left strained after the young man decided he wanted space and independence from his mentor. Their relationship was now near full recovery, I knew they would persevere despite the tension. Even though he was harder than ever to reach since he joined the Justice Society, I still managed to keep in touch with Tommy. Of course I couldn't exactly drop by, the other club scout members saw me as a bad influence. Other than that not much had changed in my life; I was on my own and dating was out of the equation, as was casual sex or one-nighters. It all seemed useless in the grand scheme of things; the women I met would only be used as bait or ransom later. After all the regret and emptiness I had drowned in the wake of – I couldn't stand thinking about it.

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><p>Here I was, a twenty-four year old, single, mild kleptomaniac; my only real responsibility was Gotham City, because that was such a small task. As of now I should've been miserable and angered at the fact I was perched on a rooftop, getting drenched in the chilly October rain. Almost in a trance I stared out at the skyscrapers, the City's once eerie Gothic architecture was absolutely stunning against the bleak storm clouds. <em>This is my home. <em>It didn't take me long to pick up on Batman's scowling presence somewhere in the shadows behind me.

"Catwoman," he said gruffly with his trademark gravelly voice, like we were complete strangers outside these disguises. "We need to talk." I swiftly stood and turned on my heel to face him,

"Well, good mid-afternoon to you too," I grumbled, I never stopped hating the rain.

The man remained silent and his dark eyes pierced through me, Bruce's jaw was clenched ever so slightly. Today it seemed, he didn't want to further engage my sarcasm. Raindrops created a subtle hiss around us, when he didn't start the conversation I stared at the sprawling urban setting behind him; the water still rolled down my goggles annoyingly. I knew I'd look ridiculously close to a cat cleaning its face if I began to wipe them dry. Giving up I tugged my goggles off and let them hang around my neck, when Bruce remained silent I let my eyes trail down his face. _I wonder how old he is. _In the past I had seen him outside Batman's shadow; I knew full well he was no longer in his twenties, and most likely was edging towards his mid-thirties. The man had thick black hair that he kept neat and swept back in public, equally dark brows sat above his observant stare.

Not to mention the incredible bottom-of-the-sea color of his eyes, which were a few shades darker than Richard's. His straight nose led down to lips that were either pulled in a playboy's smirk or a grave grimace, depending on the setting. To finish it off he had a strong jaw and high cheekbones, the combination that almost always marked the wealthy; a few small scars and faint wrinkles blemished his otherwise flawless skin.

"What is it?" I asked curiously, shifting my weight.

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><p><strong>? POV<strong>

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><p>Batman edged closer to the woman donned in a cat suit, although I could make out their shapes, I couldn't possibly hear them from where I hid. Every cell in my body was aware of and appreciating the light rain, still it was too cold to be very comfortable. Humid, stormy Orlando weather would suit me better than the chilly Gotham rain. Given his tuned senses I was surprised the City's Dark Knight hadn't spotted me yet, I had become a common face over the last few years. Any speck of green in the City drank in the rainwater and I thrived with the amazing energy; I couldn't compare the sensation to anything, but the release of endorphins it caused had me edging towards euphoria. Despite the energy that flowed through me, I was wholly focused on the pair on the rooftop across the street. For the first time in years, I had caught Batman in a secretive briefing without being noticed.<p>

Unlike before his defenses were low, taking hold of the rare opportunity I studied his face and body language. The woman he was speaking to however, had her back to me, leaving it up to my imagination to give her a face. _He knows her, _I observed the way he maintained his authoritative stance without projecting a hint of aggression or condescension. On the other hand, the woman took on a much more causal pose; she placed her hand on her hip and let her hip stick out in silent rebellion. The conclusion I met surprised me, _they know each other in real life._ Tall, dark, and brooding was always very careful to vanish if he believed anyone was trying to follow him back to his hideout, _which to this day I haven't found._ Though I had caught glimpses of her in the darkness of the City, I had never met the woman who was now nodding and keenly listening to Batman's words. Even if I hadn't met her, I imagined she wasn't always on his side when it came to Gotham's wellbeing, her shape alone told me she was no Batgirl.

Raindrops skated down her black suit, clinging tightly to her curves before they dripped off her thick, military-style boots. After another minute of staring at her my undivided attention blurred with curiosity, both my body and mind were more intrigued by the woman, than by the stoic man who stood across from her. Years had passed since I gave anyone a second glance, my most recent relationship went up in flames six years ago. To put it poetically, it was slow to ignite and turned into a wildfire just before the end, but realistically her rejection had torn my heart out by the seams. That was perfectly alright, having compassion for others made you weak in Gotham, made you weak in Arkham. I fondly smiled down at the faint scars that reminded me of my recent escape from the asylum, _they thought bullets could stop me. _Granted they had felt like acid when they tore through muscle, but my immune system was unparalleled; it had taken a few painful minutes for the muscle to repair itself, and for my body to push out the foreign metal. If anything that healing time left me vulnerable, but by then the guards had suffocated and lay cold on my cell floor.

Instead of reliving the dull, confined time I'd spent at Arkham I turned back to the woman, unashamed as I looked her up and down. A thin waist gave way to wide hips and a tight backside, a smirk pulled at my lips; she wasn't too sinewy to abandon her feminine curves, but at the same time she maintained the build of an athlete at their peak. Heat stirred low in my stomach while my eyes ran down her long legs, which begged to be wrapped someone; without warning she tugged off the mask she wore and gripped it in her gloved hand. She wore her thick black hair short, I watched with even more focus as rain painted it a shade darker; my heart flipped involuntarily as she scratched the back of her neck. Despite the fact the City had eyes, and any villain could easily see her true identity, she continued to casually talk to Batman. I crept closer, sure to stay silent while the wind howled around me; the dark-haired vixen suddenly went still, her hands dropped to her sides, the woman slowly turned her head. Vivid yellow eyes saw through me, confusion churned in her stare; heart ablaze with hatred I stood up straight, and walked out of the shadows. _Selina._

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><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

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><p>Bruce had just given me the details of our latest case and instructions on how we should proceed; of course he hadn't skipped a beat to ask about statues that went missing from an art museum, a few nights back.<p>

"You do know Gotham is crawling with thieves, right?" I asked smoothly, "I didn't take them," I lied even though I scratched the back of my neck out of habit. Something felt out-of-place suddenly, a mutated scent rode on the wind as it blew by, my body instantly tensed. Slowly turning around I froze when, in the distance, malicious lime-green eyes pierced into me, her fiery red hair whipped in the howling wind. "Ivy," I breathed shakily, my stomach turned to knots when I found her on the rooftop of a building across the street. A few Batarangs ripped through the air, measly weeds that grew on the roof burst into monstrously thick vines, before they built a dome around the redhead.

"You keep underestimating me, Batman," she called through the harsh wind, in a blink the Batarangs bounced off the plant life.

"Poison Ivy," he growled ominously, I couldn't stop staring her way, _that's what she goes by now? _Tinted green skin aglow under the overcast, she boldly stepped out from her protection,

"I would stay and chat," a bitter smile curled her lips, "But I have to attend to some things." Not even a few seconds later Ivy had vanished, Bruce jumped into action and used his grapple hook, not wanting her to slip out of his grasp. He was effortlessly swinging through the City as he pursued the redhead,

"Nightwing I have a visual on Poison Ivy, she's heading west on," he repeated his urgent news, "Contact the police immediately and have them patrolling the area. Make sure the media doesn't catch wind of this, we don't need widespread hysteria." I hadn't moved from where I stood, suddenly the radio device on my goggles spurred to life,

"Catwoman, do you read me?"

It was Richard, the sound of his voice calmed me just slightly, "Batman is shadowing Poison Ivy as we speak, and we'll need all the help we can get if we plan on returning her to Arkham." My insides turned ice-cold when he brought up the asylum, _she was in there, for how long? _

"This is where I get off," I tried to take control of my voice,

"What?" he asked in disbelief.

"This is out of my league and you know it," I said sharply, suddenly annoyed with myself, "I can't do it, not this time." Armed men, brawlers, hypnotized thugs I could handle; Ivy's powers made her untouchable in the same way Looker's had years ago. I wasn't about to commit suicide and help them,

"I understand," he ended solemnly. The hiss of rain replaced his voice and I hated the fact I hadn't gone with Bruce.

* * *

><p>Slipping my mask and goggles back on I flitted through the city before I arrived at the hotel I stayed in, it was dark by the time I raced across the rooftop and opened the roof access door. Peeling away the soaked cat suit I moved a loose floorboard and pulled out a hidden bag, full of civilian clothing before changing. Slipping the cat suit into the black plastic bag, I put it back and carefully slid the floorboard back into place. Now in a pair of white pants and a black sweater I headed down the stairs as I stepped into casual heels. My suite was on the same floor I opened up to, a short walk down the long hallway, thankfully my damp hair was the only sign I had been outside. Once I plugged in the pass code my door clicked open and I slipped inside, I caught sight of a blonde on her guest bed, kicking her legs as she lay on her stomach and ate ice cream.<p>

"You're home late," Holly yawned,

"Am I?" I asked smoothly in spite of my frayed nerves.

I hadn't lied when I said I lived alone, I did, for the most part; a few years back I had found her roaming the streets in a search for work in the East End. The thing was, despite how petite she was she couldn't hide the fact she was hardly fourteen; the first time we had met she was thirteen, before I had gotten my place. We both knew there was no other work around, and homeless shelters always turned away those in her line of work, thought they'd ruin the sacredness of the place. Naturally I realized I couldn't stop her from getting money, instead I helped her out as much as I could so she didn't have to; most nights I was busy being Catwoman, but I made sure to swing by her usual routes. Here we were and Holly's eighteenth birthday was in the spring, it had been a rocky four years knowing her; the blonde stayed in the guest room every other night, one of the few rules I had is that she could never bring anyone, johns or otherwise, here. Secondly she kept to the kitchen and her room, Holly kept clean and sober, and lastly she never stole my things; the streets had toughened her up, still, she knew this shelter wasn't something to take for granted.

* * *

><p>Holly paid for her own food and clothes, carried her own stun gun and mace; I didn't support her work, I had lectured her time and again at least to go back and finish middle school. The girl was incredibly stubborn, and had more than once made me feel like an older sister, with a pain in the ass younger sibling. At last I forced her to take adult education classes a year ago, the blonde had stopped once she reached the ninth grade level, which was more than I had expected. No one likes working the East End, she did look for more dignified jobs; every time I looked at her I hoped one day she would get her G.E.D. Hell, Holly looked young enough to go back to high school if she really wanted to; I still kept in mind what it had been like for me, but it could be a different experience for her. Ultimately she was a teenager, and if she didn't want to do something, there wasn't much left for me to do. Not turning on the lights I waltzed through the dark, and into the bathroom to dry my hair. Thankfully we didn't get in each other's business often, I didn't ask her about what she did that day, and Holly never asked where all the money came from.<p>

One day, a few weeks back, the girl had found out which way I swung and tried to use that to her advantage; it didn't take long for me to realize, I brushed her off each time she attempted to kiss me, or would sneak into my bed. My bedroom was already off-limits to her, at first the idea of a seventeen year old trying to get affectionate with me bothered me; I froze the second I found out Holly wanted to get intimate, the idea of my little sister looking for sex was horrifying. Since then I had made it crystal clear I wasn't, and never would be interested, so the teen backed off. I picked up a bottle of water and wandered over to lean on the door frame of her room, Holly was petite but wasn't nymph-like the way Harley had been. During the first two years on my own, I had accidentally ran into a brawl I wasn't ready for, I had just hardly picked up the name Catwoman. Then, when I was on the brink of passing out a hulk of a man shot out of the darkness, and beat the belligerent men unconscious with his fists. That was the first time I had met Wildcat, Ted Grant, that's what he told me his name was, and most importantly he ended up being Tommy's long-lost father.

Given I knew his son I wasn't completely distrustful of him; since seeing my lack of adaptability and focus in an alley packed with thugs, he offered me his training. I would've been stupid to not take it; being a teenager still I was ungodly stubborn and refused him at first, telling him my fighting skills were fine. However when Wildcat called me out on it and challenged me to fight him I caved, taking his offer instead. Two years under his guidance had perfected my combat abilities and taught me how to hone my heightened senses; an icy chill crept up my spine when I remembered the look in the redhead's eyes. _Still, there are people I won't go up against, not when I'm blind to their weaknesses. I'll have to research her when I get the chance. _Anyway, throughout her stay I had trained Holly to make sure she knew how to fight when the time came. As she was now she could probably take out a few men three times her size, the blonde had gotten really good at throwing right hooks. In the past I'd drop the teen off at Ted's when I got tired of her, he had definitely taught her endurance and stamina.

* * *

><p>"You hear anything interesting on the news?" I asked casually, distracting myself with her wasn't working anymore.<p>

"Nah, not really," the teen huffed, I nodded silently,

"How about around town, have you heard anything?" my curiosity barely concealed my worry. The blonde rolled on to her side,

"No," she said slowly, "Are you okay Selina? You look a little pale," she said with concern. It was hard to keep my mask up with the emotions tearing through my thoughts,

"I'm fine," I gave her a small smile. "Just a little tired, I'm going to go get some rest," I reassured her, "Wanted to check on you." A sweet smile curled her lips,

"I'm alright hun, you go get some sleep, okay?" With a nod I headed through the black living room and into the familiar darkness of my room.

* * *

><p><strong>Holly POV<strong>

The fact was she hadn't simply looked tired, Selina looked like she had seen a ghost. I watched her back as she slipped into her room, I lazily tossed my empty ice cream carton away. It didn't take a detective to figure it out, I might not've gone to high school, but I wasn't dumb. Priceless jewels and art pieces would go missing, and the next night they'd be sittin' pretty in the hotel room. The news constantly blamed Catwoman for the robberies; I had a keen ear, I heard Selina leave late at night, I practically invented sneaking out. Then there had been the times when I caught her changing out of that glove of a cat suit, a smirk curled on my lips as I remembered her curves. She hadn't seen me, so there was no harm done, right? Deep down I knew she was Catwoman, I mean _come on_, I had already pieced the puzzle together, now all I was waiting for was for her to tell me.

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>About an hour later I called Richard once I heard Holly's soft snoring, signaling she had passed out.<p>

"Hello?" he asked,

"Have you found her?" I asked evenly.

"No, she got away from us," he admitted reluctantly, "But we're on her trail, the police are looking out for her as well."

"How," my voice broke without warning, "How long have you known? And why didn't you tell me about her being Poison Ivy?"

"Selina," he sighed, "I've known since she made her début almost five years ago, I wasn't hiding it from you, I thought you already knew." I slid down the wall, sat and closed my eyes,

"You said _return _her to Arkham, how long was she in there?"

"Almost two years," he responded calmly, "And trust me," Richard's voice took on a subtle edge, "She deserved every second of it."

"At least you know she'll go somewhere near a lot of green," I said absent-mindedly, it was silent for a couple of minutes; I wouldn't be surprised if he hung up on me, I had practically abandoned Bruce and him today.

"It must be hard for you," he said in a voice so small I almost didn't hear him,

"Her powers were the only reason I didn't follow you two today, Dick," I hissed, "That's it." Nothing but a hint of static sounded between us; hot anger suddenly inflated inside me, I hated the fact her face held any importance to me, made me hesitate. The sight of her alone brought up memories that blurred my focus and weakened me mentally. "Next time," I growled, "I'll give her hell."

"I wouldn't doubt that," I could hear the smile in his voice, Richard's tone calmed the heavy, frustrated pound of my heart. "No one in their right mind would bet against you." I ran a hand through my thick hair,

"Thanks," I sighed, I could imagine my friend nodding knowingly,

"Night Selina," he said comfortingly.

* * *

><p>Two days had passed and there were still no new leads on the redhead, <em>which is a good thing I guess, <em>my insides tied into anxious knots when I imagined her secretly scheming away. Holly curled up with a pillow on the couch, and thoughtlessly flipped through the channels.

"Crap," she changed the station, "Oh look," the blonde repeated, "More crap," I calmly sipped my coffee in the kitchen. Helicopters roared overhead and made the hotel tremble, "What the hell was that?" the blonde shot up anxiously. I immediately looked out the window and watched as they flew out to circle a tall building in the distance, near the heart of the city.

"Citizens of Gotham," a newscaster's nervous voice silenced the angry chopping of helicopter blades and wailing sirens. "If you are within a half mile radius of _Harmony Corporations_ headquarters, you are advised to vacate the area immediately. I repeat, if you're within a half mile radius of the headquarters, vacate immediately."

An eerie chill washed over me, "Police are currently surrounding the exits of the building, but have been advised by Commissioner Gordon to not enter. We're receiving an anonymous tip," the man touched the wire curling into his ear, "Our worst suspicion has been proved true, Poison Ivy is indeed inside the headquarters." Surveillance footage from inside the building then played, foliage covered most of the cameras; eight board members were chained against the walls by deadly looking ivy, thick, thorny vines coiled tight around their necks. "She is threatening to kill every last hostage inside if the company does not meet her demands," he swallowed anxiously. "They're dead unless _Harmony Corporation_'s president, Thomas Baker, shuts down the company and their associated timber factories. He is also inside." Insides going cold I instantly shot out of the hotel room, I ran down the hall toward the roof access stairwell,

"Selina, where are you going?" Holly yelled down the hall, I didn't have time to explain. All but a blur I changed into the cat suit and leapt off the roof, swiftly landing on a nearby building.

* * *

><p>Dark storm clouds crackled with thunder as they lurked over the city, the sky above Gotham a haunting shade of red.<p>

"Catwoman, do you read me?" Bruce's voice was serious and tense.

"What is it Batman?" I panted, scaling another building, now that I knew the depths she could fall to, I couldn't let her go unpunished.

"You're heading towards the _Harmony _building, aren't you?" Racing towards my destination I hissed,

"Yes." Bruce was quick to respond,

"You are not needed on this mission, Nightwing and I have it under control. We don't need more possible casualties," he said grimly.

"No, you two stand down," I snarled, "Ivy's my problem now."

"Selina," Bruce warned,

"I can handle her myself," I snapped, he only sighed in response. Simply a shadow in the dark I effortlessly avoided the dim police flashlights, and quickly dodged the helicopter searchlights.

Looming high against the threatening clouds the building stood a full eighteen stories high, still I managed to scale up the side of it, the claws at the end of my gloves and my boots gave me some grip. I was starting to see the upside of Bruce's goddamn grapple hooks, I gripped the whip on my hip and caught a nearby gargoyle. Now on the roof, I hid in the shadows and took a moment to catch my breath, a firm hand clasped around my shoulder before I reached the roof access door.

"You aren't going to stop me," I warned him.

"We all know they won't shut down the company," Richard said calmly. "I'm not here to stop you Selina, just radio us if you get into trouble." Nightwing stepped back, I had already known they would jump in if I needed them.

_But what then? _What exactly did those two plan to do to her if I was injured beyond fighting, Bruce didn't like to kill people, no matter what they did. Still, what if something went wrong, would he kill Ivy? Nausea bubbled in my stomach, and icy cold air suffocated me the moment I imagined the redhead covered in her own blood, battered and broken. I shook the image out of my head, _if that's what it has to come to, it's fine with me. _Without a word I went down the stairwell that was obviously an escape route in case of a fire, a familiar earthy musk filled my nostrils the moment I landed on the sixteenth floor. _High up enough so it would take the police a while to reach you, but low enough so they don't immediately find you if they came from the roof._ Humid air washed over me the second I left the stairs and met the hallway, which was covered in green; vines looped down from the ceiling where they curled close to the fluorescent lights.

_Her plants aren't here for decoration, they're an alarm system, a trap and a warning all in one. _Suddenly the lights shattered, shards of glass glittered on the floor; I took off my goggles to get a better look, sap that glowed a sickly shade of orange dripped off the vines and to the ground. Instead of risking it and stepping into the small puddles that had formed, I crouched down and sniffed them cautiously, an overpowering sweet fragrance burned my nose. It reminded me of the flowers that held a pool of sticky liquid at the bottom, trapping hungry bugs inside before digesting them. Carefully side stepping the orange puddles I had to tip toe through a tangled carpet of vines; when I was halfway down the hallway I noticed the plant wallpaper had warmed from a dark green into a delicate pink. Still closely observing the deadly looking thorns near the ceiling I reached down for my whip, I quickly moved back and snapped the leather coil out in front of me. At the slightest touch the walls slammed shut in front of me, revealing a monstrously sized Venus fly trap, my heart raced in my chest and I yanked the whip out of its grasp.

"Okay," fear and doubt gnawed at my thoughts, "I did not see that coming." There was a two foot gap between the fly trap and the ceiling, it slowly unfolded again, _I am not dumb enough to run through that. _Instead I leapt up and curled close to the ceiling, gripped the vines, and slowly crawled to the other half of the hallway. Unlike before the vines and ivy weren't friendly, it thrashed wildly and coiled tight around my calves and tried to dangle me into the center of the Venus fly trap. "Shit," I gritted and clawed through the vines as they snaked over my body, the one I had held snapped, I swung through the air and landed on a mess of ivy just beyond the oversized plant. Dusting myself off I warily moved towards the last door on the right, teeth-like thorns covered the entire door like barbed wire, the knob however was left alone. I dipped down and started to silently pick the lock, listening closely to the clicks the door suddenly opened, and I was yanked into the conference room by the throat.

* * *

><p>Suspended a good six feet in the air I clawed at the thick vine that was crushing down against my windpipe, <em>she's gotten stronger. <em>Green dominated every inch of the room, if the hallway had been a twisted garden this was most definitely Ivy's jungle, poisonous flora added bright and vivid colors to the eerie atmosphere.

"What an unpleasant surprise," she said smoothly, Ivy appeared around a corner and sauntered over to where I hung. Mind slowing down my lungs burned with the need for fresh oxygen, "I hear they call you Catwoman now, I have to say," the siren continued dryly, "that was a rather uncreative name choice." As soon as she loosened the plant's hold slightly my loud gasp for breath filled the room,

"Let me down," I choked, and kicked my legs fiercely to rip the vine off the ceiling.

"Or you'll what?" she asked with dark amusement, her sharp eyes cut through me and suddenly the green cable tightened around my neck for a brief instant.

Without warning I dropped, the toes of my boots hardly brushed the ground, serrated ivy wrapped around my wrists and forced my hands behind my back. Ivy's wild curls swayed as she walked closer, a wicked smile curled on her lips and a glimmer of demented joy lit her eyes as she passed by the men; the redhead brushed her knuckles down the cheek of a man, who went blue in the face as he slowly suffocated. _Why is she letting me breathe?_

"Help-us," another man choked farther down the line, the four men on the other side of the room paled, not even batting an eyelash she commanded the razor wire of ivy. Dark red spurted out of his throat and trickled down his suit, his hoarse whisper signaled his death. Usually my confidence would drown my doubts, but I couldn't deny the fear that snaked up my spine the second Ivy turned her eyes on me. _I might have to try a different strategy, she'll be unpredictable if I go on the offensive now._

* * *

><p>"I can help you," I breathed, the siren stared up at me incredulously.<p>

"And how exactly," she crossed over to her overgrown seat, where the head executive would sit at any critical meeting, "Do you plan on assisting me?" One of her auburn brows arched, "Will you help me kill them, when the time comes?"

"You don't need to kill them," I answered her indirectly, her laugh was hollow and bitter,

"Of course I do," Ivy relaxed back against her leafy throne. "These- _things, _they cut down thousands of acres of sprawling temperate woods," the woman's eyes were aglow with hatred. Small, feeble flowers nestled into her palm, "And promote the man-made fires that rage across dwindling tropical rainforests," Ivy's voice remained even and calm. "Monsters deserve death," she ended darkly.

"Isn't that what you're becoming?" I asked sharply, in spite of the vine clasped around my neck, "By killing the way they do?"

"No," she scowled, "I kill only those who can act and think on their own accord, and still make evil decisions. These men hardly deserve to be called _human_, they show no humanity when they take millions of lives in the name of profit. Not once caring about the repercussions others will have to face," Ivy said hotly. Now standing the redhead slowly strutted over to me, my heart raced as a heavy scent filled the air and made my head spin. Heat washed over my body and I couldn't steady my already stressed breathing, the room around Ivy twisted and blurred by the time she was within arm's reach. All that remained sharp and focused was the woman who stood in front of me, the slightest smirk pulled on her lips.

* * *

><p><strong>Ivy POV<strong>

* * *

><p>Just as I had predicted, the dark-haired vixen was easily distracted by my little rant; by the glassy look in her jade eyes I knew the slow acting, airborne toxins were entering her bloodstream. Selina's ragged breathing sparked my imagination as I moved closer, the sound of her erratic heartbeat danced in my ears; she had exceeded my expectations when she survived the hallway. At the moment she was out of her senses, I knew it would take more than some perfume to break her into submission; Catwoman would make an invaluable slave if I could tap into her mind. <em>Time has treated you well,<em> my thoughts buzzed with curiosity while my gaze traveled the length of her body, this time from the front. Though I hated Selina, that didn't mean I couldn't enjoy the view,

"I see you finally filled out," a smirk dominated my face when I pointedly glanced at her flushed, seductive amount of cleavage. Hooded green eyes gazed up at me, having remembered her supersensitive sense of smell I made sure to dab sex pheromones on my skin. The smell alone weakened her concentration and had her guard crumbling, the vixen's full lips parted as she tried to catch her breath.

Body reacting on impulse alone I ripped off the rest of her mask, and crushed our mouths together, Selina snarled at first and tried to bite my lips. However, when my fingers knotted in her hair and I forced my way into her mouth, her entire demeanor shifted. Once she relaxed against me I commanded the plant life to release her, the woman stumbled a little upon landing, her lips still pressed against mine. Regaining my composure I broke away from her, the kiss wasn't without purpose_, _aside her immediate obedience, I realized I had reawakened a part of her mind that had been dormant. Emotion churned rapidly in her stare, in seconds I was looking back at a teenager in a grown woman's body; however pathetic it seemed, the unexpected result was fascinating. The vixen looked uncomfortable since we separated,

"Ivy," she pleaded, "You don't need to," her voice was soft, "there's always another way."

* * *

><p>"You know this is the only way," I countered calmly, Catwoman was no longer a threat to me and I could continue with my plan.<p>

"Listen to me," Selina said lowly, I turned back around slight irritation snaked into my mind, knotting my fingers in her black hair, I forced her to her knees in front of me.

"What is it?" my sweet tone held an edge, pupils stretched wide in response to the toxins she gazed up at me,

"Batman," she breathed nervously, "He doesn't mean anything to me," Selina said desperately. Amusement bubbled in my lungs,

"Oh," I feigned concern, "Poor Batboy, he gets less affection from you than I do. And we haven't seen each other in six years," a sadistic grin curled on my lips.

"I came to Gotham for you," her voice was raw, my grip on her tightened,

"You think I care?" hot anger and frustration crashed over me.

"I loved you," Selina's eyes were ungodly honest and I shoved her away, not wanting to hear her voice anymore.

_Past tense. _This wasn't what I needed to cloud my thoughts, _you loved me so much you let me come to this place alone, and looked so hard it took you six years to find me._ Familiar bitterness soothed my thoughts and brought me back to my senses,

"That changes nothing," I said coldly. Prepared for her intense eyes I turned back to her where she knelt on the ground, "You know you can't stop me, don't you?" I asked as I let my knuckles brush against her cheek. Selina nodded in response, "Good," I smiled; without warning her consciousness broke through, but her body was still under my control.

"What is happening to me?" anger and confusion boiled in her hot green glare,

"Me," I shrugged simply and made my way over to the businessmen. "You've been inhaling, tasting, feeling me," I laughed darkly, "And now I'm in control of you. Somehow your mind is more difficult to conquer," the vixen snarled behind me, but to her surprise, was frozen where she sat, "But in a few seconds, it'll be mine as well."

"Ivy," she snapped, "I won't let you get away with this."

* * *

><p>"Come here, Selina," I commanded, so she naturally rose and moved to my side, her eyes still furious and intense. "Help me kill these men," I ordered sweetly. Almost instantly her aggression vanished completely, Catwoman's alert gaze became dull and complacent,<p>

"Of course," her tone teetered between enthusiastic and pleased. Unlike others I had hypnotized, her curious and adoring gaze had my body reacting in ways it hadn't for years; _perhaps when this is over, we can be alone. You'll still be in this state, otherwise I wouldn't be able to have any fun._ "What will you have me do?"

"Nothing just yet," I explained calmly, "I'll give them the ultimatum first. Your job is to keep them scared, to make Gotham know I won't think twice. If Mr. Baker answers incorrectly, then Selina, you can tear them to shreds." A hauntingly wicked grin curled on her lips,

"Sounds fun," she sauntered over to the row of wide-eyed men, who twisted and turned in a desperate attempt to escape.

* * *

><p><em><strong>To be continued...<strong>_

* * *

><p>*To answer your questions, A) The newer 2011 model, B) You have to keep reading, C) I can't respond to any guest reviews directly.<p> 


	21. Oncoming Storm

**_Disclaimer: _I do not own any part of Batman.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>Heat and newfound energy buzzed under my skin, and I enjoyed the look of terror in the men's eyes as I walked by. Laughter bubbled in my lungs as blood dripped down my glove, the businessmen would let out pathetic yelps as my claws dragged across their throats.<p>

"Now, now Selina," Ivy said sharply, I turned abruptly to find her delicious lips pulled into a scowl and froze. "If you let them bleed now, you'll ruin your appetite," she chided, I nodded slowly, my heart pounded heavily as pure delight danced in her green orbs.

"Of course, Ivy," I responded calmly, the siren then turned back to the last functioning camera inside the building. The redhead brushed away the ivy that covered it and stood back,

"Good evening Gotham," Ivy purred, "I know you can hear me Commissioner," she said lowly. "Oh and boys," she added in a silky tone, "Stay out."

Just the sound of her voice made me smile, "Batman would you stop grimacing? It'll only ruin your handsome face; should you decide to interrupt my little meeting, I can and will kill her." The siren stepped aside and motioned for me to look at the camera, so I did; "I'm afraid this cat only has one life," she said darkly. Eyes glued to her perfect form I felt contentment break over me, if I was going to die, why not by the hands of a goddess like Ivy? After a brief pause the redhead sauntered over to the line of men, only to stand near the one in the very center of the north wall. Suddenly plant life peeled away from him, and revealed the pulsing sores on his bare skin and the massive vine clasped around his throat. "One of your men is already dead Mr. Baker," Ivy said coolly, "You know what I want. And if you give it to me, I can stop the toxin from spreading and you can leave this building."

Minutes passed, _it must be hard to breathe like that, _the grey-haired man's cheeks warmed with a lack of oxygen. "Silence won't save you," Ivy snarled and quickly snapped her fingers, the sound alone put my body in motion. Without pause I dug my claws into the man's neck nearest to me, hot blood gushed over my palm and a smile crept across my face. "Your stubbornness will be the death of your men," across the room four more men let out wonderfully dreadful gasps and shrieks. For once my concentration drifted from Ivy, instead my gaze focused on the dark red as it slithered down their expensive suits and stained their skin. Nausea boiled in the pit of my stomach and I hunched over, ready to vomit; an icy sweat blanketed me and my head started to spin. Senses rising and bottoming out rapidly I stumbled as the room swirled around me,_ I can't let her do this. _A chill coiled tight around me and guided me through the muggy haze; I stood up straight after any trace of Ivy's control evaporated.

* * *

><p>Now free of her I filled my lungs with crisp, winter air; the stench of blood hung heavily in the room, cold hatred flowed through me as I gazed down at my bloodstained hands. Ivy had controlled me and I had been weak, but that didn't mean this was over.<p>

"Selina, do you read me?" the small, cautious voice was Richard's, "Ivy's hypnotized you, but you can snap out of it." I silenced the device on my goggles wordlessly, with one glance to the only man alive I put a finger to my lips, and the brunette only nodded with wide eyes. In a few swift moves I was directly behind the redhead, who grunted when I slammed my elbow into the back of her skull, Ivy fell to the ground gracelessly. Hair shrouding most of her face I watched as glowing green eyes pierced through me,

"There you are," the siren said hotly and spat blood. Before she could make another move I snatched her up by the hair and sent an undercut straight into her core.

Ivy crumbled forward, her forehead dragged against the leafy floor as her body shook with each gasping breath, "Yes," she hissed. Annoyance swelled inside me at the almost pleased tone of her voice; with a growl I gripped her hair and pinned her against the wall. "Oh yes," she chuckled as her nails bit into the wall, confusion fueled my hatred. Once I took a step back Ivy turned around, the redhead gave me a bloody smirk, one of her cheekbones started to puff up already, and made the skin there shine a darker shade. Anger roared to life and I shoved her back into the wall, my body giving her no way to escape as my hands curled around her slender neck. A snarl passed my lips when her eyes fell on me, "Does it make you feel good," she choked, "to see me bleed?"

"Yes," I glowered, despite the fact she clawed at my grip, a haunting smile curled her lips,

"Good," Ivy murmured.

Without warning thick vines snaked up my legs and dragged me away from Ivy, who coughed up stale air after she landed. Fear started to gnaw at my mind, she slowly followed me as her plants yanked me across the ground; my claws tore into the thick green floor in a desperate search for grip. Suddenly ivy coiled tight around my wrists and hauled me up into the center of the room, my annoyed hiss filled the air once I realized I was the fly trapped in the middle of a spider web. Somehow I had forgotten under her insanity, Ivy had always been a genius, nothing had changed that. Thinking I could traipse in, ruin her plan, and manage to single-handedly capture her had been idiotic. _If only I had some of Bruce's goddamn gadgets, _the plants practically crushed my wrists in place; there was no way I could claw my way out. _Just maybe if I can at least get to my whip, _I glanced down at the leather cable, _let's not get ahead of yourself Selina, first you have to get out of this web. _

* * *

><p>The ground shifted under Ivy, and massive vines pushed the piece of floor up so she was now eye level with me. Icy, rage filled eyes impaled me, "Because you," her voice trembled with anger, "Will never again, have the pleasure of seeing me bleed." Just out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of something slithering towards me, soon I realized several midnight colored vines crept closer. <em>What the hell? <em>I blinked when buds pushed out at the ends, my insides turned to knots when the snake-like plant blossomed. Instead of yellow pollen, sharp serrated teeth grinned back at me, clear sap dripped from the edge of the petals. Fierce instinct took over, I tugged and fought against the vines in spite of the bone-crushing hold they had on me.

"Shit," I snarled, without much thought I decided to yank my knees up to my chest, a grin burned on my face when they suddenly snapped from around my ankles. _Still need to get the wrists, _naturally my legs shot out and wrapped around Ivy's shoulders. Caught off guard the siren's angry shouts got muffled in my thigh, with her distracted I swiftly snapped the cables around my wrists, and we both fell to the ground. Before she could even blink I got to my feet, snapped the whip and trapped her hands. Ivy let out an amused laugh,

"You really think a bit of _leather_ can stop me?" Somewhere behind me earth crackled and crashed, _the other floors, _when I glanced over my shoulder a swarm of purplish vines punched through the concrete floor and flew towards me. "Feel the wrath of Nature," she roared, green cables again coiled tight around me, and froze me in place.

Almost too fast to see, sharp black shapes tore through the air and shredded through the monstrous plant life, "No!" the redhead shrieked. The wing-dings landed with a small clatter, the glass window shattered as Nightwing swooped in, the raven haired man immediately leapt into action. Always graceful Richard dodged everything Ivy threw at him with the utmost ease, each twist and turn let his expert skill in acrobatics shine through. The siren paled the second she caught sight of him, and I knew why, Ivy wasn't nearly as good as he was at hand-to-hand combat. Once I felt the vines slacken around me I ripped my way out of them and gripped my whip tight, as he swiftly closed in on her, the redhead fumbled with a pouch at her hip. Without another word the siren blew twinkling dust into Richard's face, who only blinked and sneezed in response. Ivy's jaw dropped in shock, her green eyes boiled with annoyance, "How are you immune?"

Not caring to answer her question, Nightwing kicked Ivy's legs out from under her. Never breaking eye contact the redhead pulled herself to her feet; behind me I heard the muffled scream of the businessman. I turned to him and realized he wasn't hurt, or at least he wasn't in any worse shape, but when I followed his line of sight I noticed the wall across from him. There, thick red buds had sprung from the floors below and sat where the men had once stood. I stepped closer and curiously ran my eyes over the eight foot tall scales, they protected the unopened flowers like cocoons. A bloody hand suddenly slid down the petals,_ they're inside, but I thought Ivy killed them, they should be dead. _Monstrous screeches and wails erupted from inside the buds, fear gripped me and I held my whip tightly, I took a few weary steps back. It was terribly silent for a few seconds; Dick threw me a glance before he observed the gigantic flowers. I felt sick to my stomach when I noticed the wicked grin on Ivy's face.

* * *

><p>Deep red splattered across the floor as the thick petals were angrily ripped open, my heart hammered painfully in my chest as I drowned in confusion. Ivy had killed those men, I had heard their hearts stop beating, Richard was too busy fighting the siren to notice. Loud primeval screams rung in the air, and I backed into the opposite wall. The redhead soared above us, a swarm of vines created another small platform for her,<p>

"Boys," a pleased smile pulled at her lips. "You've all blossomed so beautifully," out of the corner of my eye I watched as Ivy turned. "What's wrong pussycat? Only an idiot barrels into battle without a plan," I could feel the heat of her glare.  
>Usually the slash of a wing-ding was loud to my ears, but I could hardly hear the two fighting a few feet away. "Oh little bird, I've been dying to clip your wings," the siren chuckled darkly, the sound was on the fringe of my thoughts. All I could focus on was the monstrous shapes as they inched closer, their eyes were now hollow and bloodshot gray, <em>they're toying with me. <em>Frozen with fear I could hardly breathe,  
>"Selina, snap out of it!" Richard's shout shoved me into action. All but a blur the leather cable instantly shot out, and wrapped around the closest throat. The suit's harsh growl turned into a hiss, one of the men's body suddenly lunged forward from my side. I quickly threw the man in my whip's hold into the other, and hardly sidestepped their sudden collision.<br>It was when they picked themselves up without hesitation or so much as a wince, that the realization hit me,  
>"Nightwing," my voice trembled as I shouted, "They don't feel pain." If he had reacted to the news, I wouldn't have known. Suddenly the men moved with orchestrated coördination and intelligence, without another thought I leapt into the air to avoid the reach of their vicious claws. Wild screeches and howls haunted my thoughts, <em>are they even human anymore? What can Ivy do <em>_now? Can she actually reanimate dead bodies? _Instead of dwelling on that chilling question, I slammed my thick-soled boots into a man's face; I heard the sickening crunch of his cheekbone as I landed.

Not able to stand still with a pack of six men trying to rip me to shreds, I managed to keep my eyes on the one I had most recently hit. This time one of them finally looked injured, the businessman with graying dark hair spat up blood, or something that looked like it. Dark green ooze dripped from his pale lips, my eyes landed on the sliced open part of his neck, infection darkened his veins as they branched out like fingers from the wound. Beyond me I could feel the floor shake with Ivy's every attack, the distinct scent of blood tinged the air, but most of it was hers. In seconds I crouched down and swiftly swung my legs out, I only managed to hit half of the men in the back of the knees. A smile curled on my lips when I heard the sharp splinter of a handful of tibiae, _they may not feel pain,_ _but they can definitely fall. _

* * *

><p>Once I heard the crazed roars I turned to face the rampaging men, my whip caught the man who had pleaded for help before, blood stained his grotesque skin. Without much thought my fist barreled into his face, he stumbled backwards and I pulled him back, burying my knee in the pit of his stomach. Sweat dripped down my face as I quickly looked around, I was fully aware there were another two men hiding somewhere. Instead the last living hostage caught my attention; I ran over to him and tore through the thick vines and ivy with my claws.<p>

"We need backup," Richard shouted into his radio, a chill washed over me, I had never heard him so unhinged.

"You need to get out of here," I hissed to the man with sandy brown hair,  
>"Th-thank," he stuttered wide-eyed, without another sound a dark hulk came gliding through the broken window.<br>"Take him," I shoved the man over to Batman, before his fluttering black cowl could catch Ivy's eyes. Solid navy stared into fiery jade, and in an instant he was gone with the Gothamite in tow, I knew this was nowhere near over, but still let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding in. Footsteps flitted behind me and I turned to find Thomas Baker charging at me,  
>"No," Richard's yell danced in my ears for a millisecond. Two pairs of arms suddenly clamped around my arms, something sharp sank into my stomach. Mind slowly blinking I looked to find crimson red trickling down my suit, boiling pain and nausea dug deep into my bones.<p>

Outside of my haze I could hear something slithering towards me, I jerked and struggled in their iron grip, a thick blackish vine emerged from the shadows. Razor sharp teeth grinned at me, when it abruptly shot out I desperately kicked and tried to keep it at bay. Within seconds the plant coiled tight around my legs, my heart thundered in my chest when the bud nestled against my side. Searing agony rocked my body when fangs plunged into my waist and tore into me, just as soon as it had bit down, it vanished, taking the men along with it.

"Selina," Richard's voice echoed in my mind after I collapsed, darkness gnawed at my senses before it swallowed me whole.

* * *

><p><strong>Richard POV<strong>

* * *

><p>Horror and rage filled my mind, a few meters away my best friend lay broken on the overgrown floor, her own blood pooled around her. Dark hair clinging to her skin Selina's eyes slowly closed,<p>

"Where are you?!" I called into the blackness, addressing both Poison Ivy and Bruce. Silence answered me; I rushed over to the dark-haired woman and gingerly placed her on the remnants of a wooden table. "So now you want to play hard to get?" I snapped before pulling out my escrima sticks and thrusting them into the leafy floor. Sharp blue electricity flitted across the ground and immediately found the rest of Ivy's mind-slaves. They didn't make a sound as the volts wrapped around them, the only sign they felt it at all was the way their bodies jerked and their eyes bulged. Cyan light lit the large conference room, the redhead simply stood out of conductive reach, her body completely still.

Wind carded through her blood-red hair, Ivy's face wrinkled with fiery rage when she spotted Bruce protectively perched by Selina's side.  
>"She's mine," the siren roared, in a blur he grabbed Catwoman and leapt out of the window. Before Ivy could take another step I gripped my escrima sticks tight and brought them together above my head. Unknowingly the redhead now stood on very conductive, moist foliage; bright electricity snaked through the air and shocked both Ivy and her plants. Voltage crept across her sickly green skin, the villainess' body convulsed and her arms shot up to protect her head as she screamed in pain. Once her disturbing lime eyes snapped open I threw a flurry of wing-dings her way, most of them got caught in the monstrous vines that shot up to protect her.<br>Without warning thick vines hit my core and slammed me into the opposite wall, plant life swarmed and swayed around Ivy. The gut-wrenching scent of burnt flesh filled my mind, my eyes fluttered open to land on the gruesome burns that coiled around her arms and ran up her legs. Out of breath I lunged forward and snatched up the sticks, and hardly managed to avoid the spiked cage of ivy that threatened to close around me. White hot hatred boiled in her eyes, and blood dripped from her lips as they curled back in a snarl. _She's getting weak, _leafy barbed wire shot out and dug into my neck, before it dragged me to the siren's bare feet. Vivid emerald orbs drilled into me, I cursed inwardly when I realized the escrima sticks laid out of reach. More teeth-like ivy wrapped around my wrists and ankles.

* * *

><p>The redhead crouched down, her observant stare made my skin crawl; she muttered something under her breath. Ivy was extremely cautious when she reached out to run her knuckles down the side of my face,<p>

"You aren't interested in women," she murmured analytically. "That's why my fine powder doesn't compel you, like it does the others." Horribly trapped I didn't flinch or break away from her curious gaze, "it's now that I'd pout, and say something ignorant like "what a waste." Becoming uncomfortable I shifted as I knelt at the redhead's feet, "But men are much too simple-minded to interest me," the siren huffed apathetically. I didn't dare speak, she was well-known for her mood swings, suddenly a smile crossed her face and Poison Ivy laughed.

The sound rang loudly in my ears, "Nightwing, it seems your Bat has abandoned you for someone better," her tone dripped with amusement. Frustration and annoyance ripped through me,

"You don't know me," I spat. That piqued her interest,  
>"Oh, how right you are," she mused darkly, chills shot up my spine when her thumb swept under my mask. "Masked men, however, are so very strange. The anonymity gives them strength, but only a coward hides their face. Don't you agree?" I calculated the probability of any one of my handheld weapons being obtainable, and which would be the most effective. Her sudden question felt extremely impatient. It was when I concentrated on her that I noticed the true stress wearing on Ivy's body, which could usually heal by now.<p>

_She isn't accustomed to electrical burns, _

"Those goddamn blue eyes," the siren growled in frustration and tore off my mask. Years worth of surprise and anger danced across her face, "Richard," she said breathlessly, like there was no oxygen in her lungs. A smile curled on my lips, as I took in the sight of her hand clasped over my shoulder, voltage branched out from my suit and crept up her arms before throwing her back. In the confusion her plants released me, once I was free I quickly raced over to where she laid sprawled on the overgrown floor.  
>"Stop this and I won't have to hurt you," I barked to her tense shape as she slowly crawled to her feet.<br>"I should have known," she murmured, and tossed an icy leer my way, "But you should know, I'm not one to surrender." The floor beneath me quaked and I stumbled backwards, Ivy made a small concrete base and quickly rose off the floor.

Before she could tear me apart with her vines I set off the stun gun in my glove, the wire shot out between her plants and the probe buried itself into her stomach. Electricity coursed through her veins and knocked Poison Ivy to her knees, the possessed plants went slack. An avalanche of weight suddenly crushed down on me, insides on fire and eyesight blurry I slumped against the wall. Everything seemed to slow down, the redhead hardly controlled the platform she knelt on, and tossed herself out of the broken window and into an awaiting helicopter. _She's getting away, _searing pain clawed through me. Eyelids heavy I stared down at my calf to find my suit ripped open, bright red blood streamed down to my boots before I collapsed.

"Bruce," it was hard to breathe, "Make sure Selina's alright." Everything went black,  
><em>"sleep little bird," <em>Ivy's breathy whisper echoed in my mind.

* * *

><p><strong>Bruce POV<strong>

* * *

><p>"Take her to the cave," I ordered the butler roughly,<p>

"Yes Sir," Alfred swiftly settled Selina in the backseat of the car and sped off towards the manor.

"Bruce," the voice over the radio device was weak and hoarse, _Richard. _I instantly left the alleyway, I focused on the raven-haired man through my internal binoculars, Dick leaned against the wall beside the broken window. Worry boiled in my chest, I used my grapple hook and was by his side in seconds; _she tore off his mask, _the angry chop of blades drowned out my thoughts. Wind whipped me in the face when I turned to see Poison Ivy staring at me, dark purplish bruises littered her body and gruesome electrical burns etched into her pale green skin. Her fiery red hair lashed in the strong breeze, her eyes were dark, dull, and most of all tired, Ivy hunched over in the door of the helicopter.

Life came before capture, it always had; I quickly scanned Richard's vitals and relaxed, _he's still breathing_. Still, I couldn't leave him here half alive in Ivy's quickly dissolving jungle, and out of the reach of Gordon's men. So instead I observed her weakened state, the redhead stumbled back into her seat and struggled to keep her chin up; I soon realized Bane was her pilot and that there were air missiles welded to the helicopter. _He won't hesitate to shoot if Ivy feels threatened_. Just as police sirens screamed I leapt out of the building with a now masked Nightwing in my arms, and glided down to the batmobile before his condition could worsen. Dark vermillion above us the sky only darkened as I raced to the cave, the cover of night left us invisible to curious eyes. The sound of his labored breathing made me ungodly anxious, I carefully pulled him out and carried him over to where Alfred analyzed Selina's injury.

* * *

><p>With practiced ease I pulled away the material covering Richard's left calf, and glanced over to see the butler had cut through Selina's cat suit, which revealed her wounded midsection. Concentration back on my patient I quickly washed and sanitized his wound, it was a good sign when he twitched in response to the alcohol. Alfred did the same, but didn't get the same reaction, Selina hadn't batted an eyelash; in my absence the butler had analyzed her blood, found the correct match and had started a transfusion. Crimson stained his gloved hands as he worked, she was already unconscious and losing too much blood for any average bite. Light blue eyes perplexed Al continued to keep pressure on her injury; her usually olive toned skin was translucent and left the veins under the surface a dull red.<p>

"Why isn't she coming to, Alfred? What's wrong?" I gripped the arm of the operating station tight, and glanced between the slight rise and fall of her chest and the fresh blood being pumped into her body.

"I am not sure," the grey-haired butler answered, "The donated blood matches her blood type, Sir." Frustration ripped through me when I gazed down at her now ghostly complexion,_ she's already lost a few pints of blood_. My eyes flicked up to the tube running into her inner elbow,  
>"The wound is clean, and the transfusion is working, she'd be dead if it hadn't." Alfred's cool eyes washed over the gruesome looking bite mark that tore into her waist,<br>"The wound isn't closing properly," he said calmly. A second later he pulled away the small towel, to reveal blood soaked cotton.

"Damn it," I gritted my teeth, "There must've been some natural anticoagulant in Ivy's toxin. Is there any other way, is there any antitoxin we have that can combat this?"

"I am afraid not, we will have to cauterize her injury to stop the bleeding," he stated regretfully. "Once the bite closes the new blood can flush out the infection, I am sure of it. Ms. Kyle is strong, she will be able to endure the procedure without anesthesia. Ah, Master Grayson is awake." If he had said anything else I was deaf to it the second I knew Dick was conscious,  
>"Bruce?" he croaked as his glassy eyes blinked open.<br>"I'm here," I breathed shakily,  
>"It would be best if you let me perform this task alone, Master Wayne. Take Master Grayson into the manor and attend to his injury there."<p>

* * *

><p>"Yeah, sure Alfred," I murmured absently, "Just, give me a second." Dark blue eyes finally focused on me, his brows pinched together in pain,<p>

"Is Selina okay?" Thankfully he hadn't received the same high dosage of toxin she had,  
>"She will be," I said softly and glanced down at his bandages. Something in him snapped when he heard her whimper in pain,<br>"Al, what are you doing?" I settled a hand on his shoulder,  
>"He has to close up her wound, and nothing else has worked." In truth we had never had an antitoxin ready for Ivy's attacks, because she constantly manipulated their chemical compounds. That's why going against her was always a tricky task. <em>She pulled out all the stops this time, Poison Ivy's actions have never been so public or bold before. I should've tried harder to stop her, shouldn't have let Selina in there in the first place. <em>

Despite that he didn't relax at all, if anything Richard only became tense; his fiery eyes focused on her pained expression. Suddenly Selina's body jerked and her nails bit into the armrests, Alfred on the other hand ran the red-hot branding pen over the bite as gingerly and quickly as he could, we didn't have time to set up the lasers. It only took a small slip deeper into her body to throw it into chaos, I quickly took hold of her shoulders and pinned them down against the cot. She would've kicked Alfred across the room if Dick hadn't taken hold of her legs, but that didn't stop her from thrashing and arching her back.

"Please calm down Ms. Kyle," the butler ordered loudly,

"I'll get the anesthesia," Richard said thoughtlessly. I shook my head,

"If she goes under now she might not wake up, we can't risk that," I hissed. My eyes flicked from Selina's crippled form to a hardly standing Richard, "_This, _this is what happens when I let someone act alone."

* * *

><p><strong>Richard POV<strong>

* * *

><p>Bruce's harsh tone rung in my head as I struggled to keep her legs down; feeling horribly queasy already I made the dumb mistake and looked over to find Al cauterizing her injury. <em>Oh god. <em>After mostly uneasy quiet the dark-haired woman's screams and howls filled the batcave, I cringed at the terrible sound and smell of burnt flesh. Alfred kept her from thrashing with one hand and worked with the other, all while Bruce held down Selina's arms. _He's almost done, _though blood smeared her stomach the nasty bite was now closed. My friend collapsed into a groaning, crying heap; Bruce and I released her at the same time, and I went to her side immediately. Her green eyes fluttered half-open; my heart ached as tears streamed down into her hairline,

"Shh, it's okay. You'll be alright," I murmured softly.

Meanwhile, Al carefully applied cooling cream to her sensitive skin, before Bruce wrapped bandages all the way around her stomach. Before I knew it her hand was weakly clasped around my wrist, Selina's other hand shook as it covered her eyes. Shame, pain and frustration crumpled her face as she continued to cry, and then suddenly she went quiet.

"I've injected her with mild sedatives to keep her calm, and to help her sleep once the transfusion is complete," the butler explained coolly. Thunder clapped outside and shook the cave, "Master Grayson, are you alright?"

"That's the first time I've ever seen her cry," I said absently. _Something tells me it wasn't just the pain that got to her. _Moving closer to my friend I held her hands between mine, I glanced at Bruce and Al, "We're all here," I whispered to her.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN;** _We're getting closer to the end now. Dislikes/ likes? Predictions? Thanks for all your support readers!**  
><strong>


	22. Ringing Silence

**Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Batman. **

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><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>Pain that had set my body on fire started to finally die down; somehow I managed to hear Alfred's voice as I faded in and out of consciousness.<p>

"You need to stay on your back," he explained softly, but in an instant his voice became warped and muffled. Wonderful things, sedatives; obviously rolling around meant possibly tearing out my I.V., and more pain of course. If my eyelids didn't weigh a ton, I was stuck either having a staring contest with the ceiling, or resting. Most of the time I would see black, but I did dream once in a while. It was always the same, always Ivy. There was never a grey area, she'd either be sobbing like her soul was bleeding, or cackling like it had never existed in the first place. To be honest, they were nightmares.

I'd seen both emotions and was here, now, in the suffocating black unable to move or act. Anger, resentment, and frustration were all there, and threw up walls around me. Worse was the thought that my friends were out there, putting their lives at risk and fighting my battles. Ivy was my responsibility; I was the one that had let her become the thing that she is. It was my fault, and my burden to carry.

After four days, staying in bed gets boring and the ceiling does really lose its luster. Half-awake I got out of bed, gripped the blanket that draped around my shoulders and made my way to the washroom. Sometimes it felt like I was living in a well-decorated maze, I mean how many corridors does one person really need? It had taken me awhile to get used to Bruce's _place_, I might've dropped by once or twice in the past, but everything felt new. Inside the bathroom I walked up to the clawed bathtub, but froze when I caught my reflection in a nearby mirror. Obviously the first thing I noticed was the fact I looked like crap. Dark circles rimmed my eyes, my unwashed hair stuck out in every direction and somehow, _did I get paler? _Not to mention the deep purple and yellow-green bruises that littered my body.

To most I looked like a living, breathing definition of defeat. Closing the bathroom door with a sigh I shucked off my blanket and turned the tub faucet. Steam danced on the surface of the water, I ignored the sharp aches and pangs I felt as I got undressed. Slightly apprehensive I toed my way into the bathtub and slowly sat down,

"Damn it," I gritted once hot water washed against my waist. Alfred had reassured me that the cauterized skin would toughen up soon, that it only needed time. Having glanced down my eyes landed on the skinny ridge of puffed up skin, and I felt myself scowl. Yes, the procedure had saved me from an aggressive toxin, but that didn't mean I enjoyed having an almost six inch-long scar across my waist.

* * *

><p>Instead of dwelling on it I scooted farther into the basin, until the water reached my collarbone. Resting my head on the edge, I let my body soak in the soothing warmth and heat. On the other side of the tub my wet toes were left out in the steamy air. There were three light knocks on the door and then a pause,<p>

"Good morning Miss Kyle, how are you feeling?" Alfred asked sympathetically.

"I'm fine," I hollered back,

"Wonderful. Now, do you mind if I tidy up your room?"

"Knock yourself out," my tail slipped out of the water, curled and relaxed again,

"Breakfast will be served within the hour," the butler added.

"I'm not hungry," I murmured,

"We both know Master Wayne will insist that you eat," he responded calmly. "Enjoy your _sauna _Miss Kyle," he chuckled with amusement, and with that Alfred left. In reality I was starving, I didn't want to see Bruce, or Richard. Over the last few days both of them constantly treated me like glass, Alfred at least treated me like a grown adult when I was injured. It'd be tolerable if they didn't keep me indoors at all times, by now it had gotten on my nerves. Yes, Ivy had gotten away because of me. Yes, I had acted solely on instinct instead of evaluating the situation. No, I wasn't hurting.

Ivy could be anywhere, tearing Gotham apart by the seams, while I'm safely tucked away in Wayne Manor and all its stifling glory. Tired of the steam I got out of the tub and drained the water, after I slung a towel around myself I trudged back to the guest room. Not wanting to drip water all around the mansion, I scrubbed my hair dry with a smaller towel that hung around my shoulders. Everything here felt too open and depressingly empty despite Bruce's vast art collections, and it made me feel cramped by the unspoken emotions that lived in the manor. All the lingering anger and sadness, it made being cooped up here even more tiring, and I was really starting to miss Holly. Caught up in my thoughts I crossed into my room and walked into someone,

"Morning," Richard smiled and shifted slightly.

* * *

><p>"Hey," I greeted, "And before you ask, I'm perfectly functional today."<p>

"Okay," he held his hands up defensively, "I can come back if you need to change."

"No, I prefer to saunter around a strange man's house in only a towel."

"Sarcasm," Richard shot back, his blue eyes twinkled as his smile grew, "All good signs."

"You can just stand in the corner or something if you need to talk to me," I looked through the neat pile of clothes Alfred had left me. When I glanced back my friend raised a brow before he turned his back to me. I easily slipped on my underclothes,

"What is it Robin?!" I mocked Bruce's gravelly Bat-voice.

"So we're having breakfast together," he started,

"So I've heard," I stepped into a loose pair of jeans.

"Someone's coming over," Richard added, _why is he so nervous?_

"Who?" I asked curiously and carefully pulled a white shirt over my head.

"Selina," he turned around, guilt twisted his expression and his hands were deep in his pant pockets. Something instantly registered, there was only one person, other than Bruce, that could make him look like that.

"Please," I carded a hand through my damp hair, "Don't say Helena is dropping by."

"It was Bruce's idea," he sighed exhausted, it was then that I realized he still kept his distance.

"Wait," some upscale event was coming up in two days, which automatically meant Bruce Wayne, and Richard Grayson, would be in attendance. "She's here to **babysit **me?" I snarled and heat immediately ripped through me. Before he could step in my way I pushed past him and found Bruce's studies.

"Selina wait," Dick called after me, "At least let me explain." There was no stopping once I reached the large oak doors.

* * *

><p><strong>Bruce POV<strong>

* * *

><p>One second I was casually reading and the next Selina was standing in my office, I glanced up from the novel and met burning jade eyes.<p>

"Yes?" I asked coolly,

"Why?" she snapped, my eyes washed over her hands where they were balled up at her sides.

"Because," I took off my glasses and placed them on a nearby table, "We need to know you are in capable hands while we are away. Richard and I have gotten word from Gordon that someone is planning to hijack the GCPD charity. The two of us are going to find the leader of the operation, and secure the building before the event takes place."

"So you think I can't survive two whole days without you guys? I don't need Helena looking after me," the dark-haired woman hissed, "Alfred is just fine."

"And what do you suppose you'd do if say, Bane, came crashing into the manor? Or Killer Croc?" I asked seriously. Irritation darkened her expression,

"I would handle it by myself," Selina said hotly, "Wildcat trained me, remember?"

"You're being childish," I said firmly, I noticed Richard's shadow from under the door.

"Childish?" Selina growled and stepped forward, "Childish is thinking that keeping me here isn't putting Gotham at risk."

"What are you trying to say?" she wasn't typically this aggressive towards me, and I had an idea it was because of Poison Ivy. No one else knew how to get under Selina's skin the way she did.

"I can put her back in Arkham," she hissed, her piercing eyes searched my face for a reaction.

"Oh really," I stood up, "As you are now, you could knock me and Richard out?" Confusion broke over her, "Surely if you can do that, you can take down Ivy. Prove my assumptions wrong, and I'll let you leave."

Almost immediately her face fell and her anger simmered down, "That's why Helena's here." Not a minute later Selina's aggravation returned and she slammed the office door behind her, with a sigh I tried to make sense of what Jim had sent me. Catwoman would've been a priceless addition to this operation, the leads I had now were vague. Richard and I would have to solve this riddle on our own.

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>"We just want to keep you safe," my friend murmured when I walked past him,<p>

"Not now Richard." This entire situation had crossed _protective _a while ago, and now was full-on babying. I jumped down to a banister when I caught sight of a head of grey hair, "Where's the training room Alfred?"

"Good heavens Miss Kyle," he jumped and looked at me wide-eyed and calmed himself down, "I hardly noticed you."

"Are you going to tell me where it is?" I asked the butler again.

"Master Wayne wouldn't want you training in-,"

"My condition, I know. But I've healed," I hopped off the banister, "See?" Alfred searched my eyes incredulously,

"I suppose you've tried to prove this to Master Wayne, as well?"

_Why did I believe Alfred was going to be any easier to persuade? _

"Yes," I grumbled, "I mean I've been locked up for four days. I rather not blow off steam by shattering half his mansion." A small smile twitched on the butler's lips,

"That would be a dreadful mess to clean. Follow me," Alfred chuckled before turning on his heel and leading me down a flight of stairs and to the end of the hall.

"What is all of this?" I asked disappointedly,

"I'm afraid the more advanced equipment," the butler handed me a neatly folded towel, "is strictly reserved for Master Wayne and Master Grayson."

"It's not like I have any gadgets to practice with anyways," I admitted as I stretched.

"Is that all, Miss Kyle?" Alfred asked politely, when I nodded he disappeared down the hall.

The training equipment wasn't all that bad, there were weights, and a few punching bags. Most importantly I spied a security panel next to the door, which didn't include a fingerprint or retina scanner. Focused on one of the punching bags I sent a few hooks and jabs into the firm material, and nothing felt out of practice. However, when I fell back on one hand and tried to kick hot pain snaked around my waist.

"Damn it," I hissed as fell to the ground,

"Looks like you got your ass handed to you," a familiar voice stated smoothly. Dusting myself off I stood,and this time frustration fueled each punch. "Ignoring me won't make you heal any faster."

"What?" I snapped and turned to face her, dark violet eyes connected with mine. Helena settled a hand on her hip, and the light caught her wavy black hair as she looked me up and down.

* * *

><p>To clarify, it wasn't like I hated her guts for no reason. It hadn't always been this rough being in each other's company, not in the beginning at least. Save Oracle, Huntress had been my only real connection to the Birds Of Prey. We weren't exactly friends, but we did have a strong alliance. Unlike Bruce, I wasn't disgruntled by the fact she killed the majority of those on her hit list. Helena didn't pick just anyone to hunt down, it took a lot of effort to catch her eye. Arkham Asylum was full and Gotham was already overflowing with thugs and serial killers, so Huntress made her début.<p>

Early on she started hunting mafia heads and mobsters, her family's massacre had left her with tunnel vision. A year or two in, her scope had widened to include repeat offenders that specialized in high-violence crimes. I'd be lying if I told you Helena hadn't impressed the hell out of me. Normally her executions were quick and relatively painless, but that didn't last long. Apparently Scarecrow had set his sights on her, and the rest of the story was gained through Helena's recollection of his prideful monologue. In a search for someone who had an iron will like Batman's, Crane had concocted a sort of pre-fear toxin, which was especially made to break her down. Obviously Huntress had survived the weak dosage, but not without a major side-effect.

Whenever she went in for the kill, Helena would see the face of her parents' murderer laughing back at her. No one at the GCPD had noticed for the first few days, Helena Bertinelli hadn't shown any immediate symptoms after being exposed to Crane's chemicals. Batman however, had easily spotted a bloody trail of rapists and murderers, so badly beaten that the medical examiners couldn't identify them at the scene. Bruce had wondered if he had another serial killer on his hands, but then he was able to scan the area for a possible blood trail. Though scant, he was able to follow the evidence to Helena's front door. Once caught, she confessed to the disturbing hallucinations Scarecrow had littered her thoughts with. Thankfully time has passed, and though her attacks are almost as brutal, it seems Crane's drug has left her system.

After her ordeal with Scarecrow, Huntress' personality did a one-eighty. Instead of viewing me as an equal like she had before, her ability to kill had sent her soaring high above others. Sure, if it really came down to it I could break a few necks. On my average heist killing wasn't the only option, and I hardly faced hard-core criminals on my usual routes. Whenever I screwed up in a group operation, Helena was quick to blame it on the fact I was _tender-hearted. _And trust me, she could make anything into an insult. As if that condescending attitude of hers wasn't enough, she thought I had a thing for her.

* * *

><p><em>Anyways, <em>it didn't make much sense; things were still tense between Bruce and her, so why invite her over to the manor? Barbara could still kick ass in her wheelchair, _then again there's all those goddamn stairs. What about Dinah? _Black Canary, at the very least was personable, _and god can she sing._ _And somehow I'm stuck with little miss sunshine._

"I heard you cost Bruce Poison Ivy," Helena responded coldly and crossed her arms over her chest. Irritation boiled under my skin,

"I'm not in the mood for another lecture, thanks," I sent a few more jabs into the punching bag until it was swinging.

"That's because you know I'm right," her hands moved down to her hips. "If you would just kill her you wouldn't have this problem. If Gotham had a death penalty for the freaks in Arkham," she trailed off irritably.

"Bruce would never let that happen," I deadpanned; I had heard this speech countless times. Sometimes I wasn't sure he saw how many people he was putting at risk, by keeping violent inmates alive. It wasn't an easy issue for Bruce, he thought everyone still had the human right to life, no matter what they had done. "You can go now," I turned to her, "I don't need you chaperoning me."

"So you say," she scowled, "It's not like I want to be here either."

"Why don't you leave then?"

"Do you know what would happen, if Gotham's scum got their hands on Bruce's files?"

A smirk twitched on my lips,

"I like to imagine the world would end," I taunted. Color flushed her cheeks and I pushed past her, "It wouldn't bother me much."

"You're unbelievable," she snapped_. _A second later she stormed upstairs, back into the room she was staying in.

* * *

><p>Two days had passed and we had stayed out of each other's way most of the time, some snide remarks here and there. Bruce let me outside as long as Alfred was with me, so I had trained out in fresh air for the first time in a week. It'd been raining hard for the last few days; my waist had healed up nicely considering, it didn't hinder my training anymore. My endurance was great, my speed and strength were perfect, and my agility had returned to feline. Still, it felt like I wasn't done yet, there was something missing.<p>

* * *

><p>The sun sank behind the mountains a little after Richard and Bruce had left, and it was silent in the manor. From what I knew Alfred went to sleep relatively early, I cautiously crept downstairs and listened for Helena's soft breathing. <em>She's asleep, not the best chaperone. <em>Shifting the strap of my pack, I quickly made my way to the front door. Without warning bright red beams sliced through the air and froze me in place.

"How idiotic do you think I am?" Helena growled from somewhere behind me,

"Do you want me to answer that question?" I slowly looked over my shoulder,

"I won't let you out of here," her expression darkened.

"I don't expect you to," a smirk curled on my lips as I slipped my pack off, her fierce violet eyes never broke their stare. Glancing up I realized the lasers didn't reach the tall ceiling, then my focus landed on the second story banister. Before I had even decided on what to do, my body started to twist and maneuver through the red shafts of light, when I spotted a gap I leapt up to the banister. By the time I had gotten on the second floor Helena had vanished, knowing she'd come up from behind I jumped down to the ground level. Suddenly hands shot out from the darkness and clamped around my wrists, her body pressed against my back,

"Don't make me hurt you," she murmured ominously, _yeah, __**I**__ have a thing for __**you**__._

"Or," I purred, "We can make this interesting," I pressed my body back into hers for a brief second. Helena paused and I crushed her toes with my heel, when she released my hands I sent my elbow into her jaw.

The only light in the room came from the lasers, when I turned Helena's nails scraped my scalp as she gripped my hair and slammed my face into her kneecap. Heat fanned out from my nose and a metallic taste filled my mouth, I stumbled back and wiped away the blood that trickled down my face. I managed to block her next chain of punches before kicking her in the ribs, Huntress grunted and knocked into the wall behind her. "I don't have time for this," I hissed, glinting silver caught my eyes, _Helena has the remote for the security system in her pocket._ I ran over to her and quickly reached for the remote, her hand shot up and wrapped around my neck. She shoved me away and sent an undercut into my core, the wind was knocked out of my lungs when her knuckles dug into me.

"I've got all night," Helena sneered hotly.

* * *

><p>I fell to the ground and tried to catch my breath, "Submit and I'll stop," she growled. Surprisingly I looked up to find her outstretched hand, which was a horrible mistake, I took it and slowly rose to my feet. Before letting go of her hand I swung her into a nearby pillar, Huntress hardly stopped, she zigzagged before leaping into the air. Helena arched her back as she formed a hammer with her fists, my legs shot out and struck her stomach at the perfect angle. She crumbled to the ground, "Damn it," she wheezed and tried to pick herself up as I walked over to her. I flipped on the lights and looked down to find Helena with a shiner, and blood dripping down her lips. Her violet eyes sliced into me,<p>

"Looks like you got your ass handed to you," I smirked. Furious now she managed to scramble to her feet,

"This isn't over," she roared.

Helena ran in my direction and tried to tackle me, and instead pushed me into the wall. I threw her off of me, but then her fists came barreling my way, and they hit the wall behind me at least once. Dodging her punches, I predicted her kick and caught her leg before it could hit me. Huntress lost her sharpness in the confusion and I backed her into the wall, her leg still in my grasp. Bloody and bruised Helena gasped when I kissed her roughly, and possessively draped her leg around my waist. Completely defenseless she could only melt into my touch as my hand raked down her stomach, and easily got hold of the security remote. Hungry lips caught hold of mine over and over, and I had to push her away before I lost my focus.

Violet eyes scanned my expression irritably, my fingers brushed over the nape of her neck, and when I hit the right spot, Helena lost consciousness. I laid her down on the ground before quickly shutting off the lasers, I tossed the remote to the side and searched Helena for a set of keys. Once outside I searched the dark for her motorcycle,

"It has to be here somewhere," I murmured to myself. Moonlight glowed against dark amethyst paint, "This is nice," I let my fingers trail across the smooth metal before getting on. The engine roared to life with a twist of the key, I peeled off the property as quickly as I could. Helena was just the challenge I needed to overcome to know I was ready to fight again, the cool winter air snaked into my jacket and carded through my hair as I drove to Gotham.

* * *

><p>I turned the radio on,<p>

"We've already raised an astonishing three million dollars here at the GCPD decennial charity event," the host stated happily. "Bruce Wayne has been among the top contributors tonight." _So Gotham is silent tonight, _my eyes landed on the approaching skyscrapers, _something doesn't seem right. _No matter which channel I tuned into, including the police scanner, the worst the city was facing was some petty-theft and traffic violations. I swiftly weaved through traffic until the familiar East End surrounded me; I checked the streets for anything out of place. All the sudden I reached a wall of police cars, when I turned back I realized they had completely blocked off Times Square. I stored Helena's bike in an alleyway and managed to get in on foot; I peered down the road and my eyes landed on a ten foot tall flower.

"What the hell is that?" an officer asked shakily, "It just broke through the concrete, like-like it was nothing."

Small bell-shaped flowers circled around the thick red stalk of the flower, when I studied the grey flowers I caught a glimpse of movement. _What is that? _As I spoke more concrete began to crack, and the stalk grew fatter and taller, but my eyes concentrated on the bottom of the flowers. Suddenly the thorny petals curled back and revealed pulsating orange sacs of pollen. A few gasps and shouts echoed from the police and civilians present, a slender hand slowly emerged from the stalk before splitting it open.

"It's Poison Ivy," a woman screamed and my stomach shot into my throat once the siren stepped out of her plant, a wicked smile was plastered on her face.

"What are you waiting for?! Shoot her," someone else shrieked.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that," she called, "You see, if I get hurt, my lovelies will be very unhappy."

Ivy motioned to the dark orange spheres with a sweep of her arm,

"I can rupture these sacs in a millisecond," she said firmly, "One thought, can destroy all of you where you stand. Once the spores are airborne you're all dead," the siren grinned darkly, "And Earth won't have to survive your brutality for another day."

"How do we know you're telling the truth?" someone from the crowd shouted,

"You all remember that I keep my promises, don't you?" she asked silkily. "Shoot and die, let my flower grow and I'll let you live," Ivy then murmured, "For a few more minutes anyway."

"No," I couldn't screw this up, I'd have her in Arkham by tonight,

"But for now, let's have a little fun," the redhead smirked. Roots as thick as subway cars punched through the concrete and her ominous laughter filled the air, thinner vines shot out from the ground and suffocated the police officers before I could even blink.

* * *

><p><em><strong>To be continued...<strong>_

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN; **_Sorry I hit major writer's block with this story, which is officially going to be 25 chapters long.


	23. Eye of the Storm

****_Disclaimer: _I do not own any part of Batman.****

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><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>Under Ivy's control the thick roots danced like snakes, before they slammed against nearby buildings. Everyone ran for cover once rubble came hurdling down to the ground; thick dust filled the air and almost shrouded the siren completely. <em>Her eyesight isn't nearly as good as mine, and I can hardly see her. <em>Leaping onto a nearby gargoyle I took in my surroundings, the redhead hadn't noticed me as she slowly circled the now one hundred foot tall flower. _I can't just take her head-on again, and I can't call for backup without a radio._ _If I challenge her now I could easily die, but what am I supposed to do? Wait for her to kill more people, or let my friends get injured in my place?_ With a hand firm on my whip I jumped down and dodged the debris, the second my whip snapped in her direction a razor-sharp root clasped around my throat.

"You will not stop me," Ivy's voice shook with anger, before I could move four more roots wrapped around my wrists and ankles. Branding hot pain dug into my bones as blood trickled down my neck, my lungs burned without oxygen and my vision started to blur. A sudden gust of wind swept away the hazy dust, the cool breeze danced against my skin when I looked up to find Ivy standing in front of me. Her fiery hair whipped around her face, green lips pulled back she snarled, "You could never stop me." The stars above me started to fade out when a few streaks of red flew across the sky, in seconds the roots went slack around me. Lungs hungry for air I gasped like I'd been held underwater, my body was thrown over someone's shoulder, their red cape fluttered just beyond my fingertips.

"Are you okay back there?" a woman shouted over the screaming wind, _wait we're flying, she's flying, _Gotham shrunk as we soared higher.

"I'm fine," I wheezed, _though I feel like throwing up now, _I spied her blue boots, which meant this was not Supergirl. "Karen?" I asked in disbelief,

* * *

><p>"This was not the reunion I was looking forward to," the Kryptonian sighed. "Oracle radioed me and tipped me off that the GCPD had sectioned off Times Square. Then I flew over the city and saw this massive flower," she explained as she stopped to hover.<p>

"Is there any way I can move?" I grumbled feeling horribly nauseated as blood rushed to my head, when she nodded I curled my arms around her neck and hooked my legs around her waist.

"It's a shame Ivy turned out this way," she murmured softly, before we could dwell I changed the subject.

"Does Oracle know what we're dealing with?" I asked against her back,

"I think so, I described it to her and she's been researching," Karen supplied.

Power Girl switched on her earpiece,

"Whatever it is, Ivy's definitely mutated it," Barbara said firmly as she hastily typed away. "The flora she's crossed the fungi with isn't crucial, you said there were sacs full of spores right?"

"Yes, they're bright orange," the blonde responded, it was silent for a few tense seconds,

"No use in your heat vision, Ivy is playing with Cordyceps now, it would only spread the spores faster."

"If she can break the sacs in seconds, why is she waiting?" I asked,

"They most likely have to reach a certain maturity to become potent enough to wipe out the entire city."

"How long do we have?" Power Girl asked impatiently,

"Fifteen minutes at best," Barbara deadpanned. Karen immediately shot down towards Gotham, my heart jumped into my throat and I locked my body in place. She somehow managed to stop before we barreled into the concrete; I hopped off her back as soon as we touched down.

* * *

><p>"What a shame," Ivy sauntered across rubble and grass trailed behind her, fragile flora crawled over titanium chunks and easily crushed them. "You should've brought a real Kryptonian to this fight," Karen stiffened beside me, her eyes a molten red, "I know I did." Off in the distant night sky something suddenly swooped down before zooming into view, my heart dropped. Fitted in classic red and blue Superman glared down at both of us as he hovered near Ivy, a deep frown pulled at his mouth.<p>

"Kal- El," Power Girl almost whispered, "What has she done to you?" Clark's natural demeanor shattered the second she said his name, in a blink of an eye he flew down and slammed into Karen. Before she could be thrown into the side of a building, she took Superman and hurled him away from her.

"It's me," the blonde roared and her hands balled into fists, "Kara-,"

"Kara Zor-L," Clark snarled, "False daughter of Krypton, I know."

"He's under her control Karen, he's not Clark right now," I called up to her.

"On the contrary," he flashed a dark grin, "I've never felt more like myself." His attention quickly shifted back to Karen, "Your human friend should be easy enough to kill," his smile widened, "But you, I'll take my time killing you."

"When did I say you could kill the human?" Ivy snapped and Clark turned suddenly. "That was a rhetorical question, I never gave you permission. Deal with your _cousin_," the siren sneered, "won't you?"

* * *

><p><strong>Karen POV<strong>

* * *

><p>In a split second I flew higher, suddenly a spear of heat plunged into my shoulder-blade,<p>

"Damn it," I hissed. Getting into it with Kara or Diana was one thing, but fighting **and** beating Kal would be nearly impossible.

"Go and fly you coward," he growled from behind me, I faced him and inhaled deeply, my ice breath surrounded him and froze him in place for a millisecond. Kal angrily broke through his crystalline cocoon, "You'll have to try harder than that," my cousin taunted. Before I could blink his arms had clamped around my waist; the wind screamed around us, my body collided with a skyscraper. Metal groaned and concrete crunched as he shoved me straight through the building; I somehow managed to push him off me by the time my back met glass again. _He's too powerful one on one, I need to keep flying. _An idea struck me as I swiftly dodged Kal's heat vision,

"Phone Batman," I shouted, my phone-earrings immediately connected me to him.

"Karen?" Bruce sounded shocked and blatantly irritated, "I'm a little busy,"

"So am I, you try to out-fly Kal," I snapped. "I don't know what Poison Ivy did to him," I confessed, "It's like he's gotten a hold of red Kryptonite."

"It's fine Batman!" I heard Nightwing call in the background, "I can handle The Riddler by myself,"

"I'm on my way," Bruce said gruffly. _God I hope he makes it in time. _

* * *

><p><strong>Selina POV<strong>

* * *

><p>With Karen in the sky I was a sitting duck, <em>my whip is not going to cut it<em>. _Shit, _I raced toward the dead officers and snatched up their revolvers, I managed to dodge Ivy's attacks. When I turned loud bangs filled the air as I sent an entire round into her pursuing roots.

"You," her shrill scream bombarded my ears, I fumbled for the other gun and shot half a clip at lightning fast vines. Without warning a fat root clasped around my firearm and splintered the metal in half, my heart soared up into my throat when she hauled me off the ground. It felt like the plant was growing twenty feet per second, and I didn't doubt it. Before I could think of clawing my way out her plants pinned my arms to my chest. Screams rang out and skyscrapers in the distance were pummeled by Ivy's roots, stomach tied in knots I was at her mercy as she raised me up to her throne.

_I'm so high, _I looked down and the police cars were ant-sized, I was about fifty stories up, give or take a few feet. Finally I reached the top of her demonic flower, my eyes naturally scanned up her legs and torso, until they landed on her emotionless face. The siren tossed me on a huge leaf by her side, I could either fall off or move closer to her. The redhead wasn't letting her guard down, she secured me with razor-sharp ivy. In spite of her expression, her eyes were boiling over with emotion; hatred, joy, and a hint of sadness swam in her tired eyes. From here the city lights were dim as they bobbed and drowned in the darkness of Gotham, police sirens screeched loudly.

"I'm going to kill every last human being," Ivy murmured calmly. "I'll kill you too," a smile twitched on her lips and her eyes started to water.

* * *

><p>Icy wind crashed over my body, "But I'll kill you last, I want you to be here to see it with me." <em><br>_

"Why keep me alive to see something so awful?" There was no way to keep her from killing me, no way to keep her out of my head. "Do you hate me so much?" _I can't cry, I can't do that now. I can fight my way out of this. _The redhead faced me,

"Just once I need you to feel the pain I felt, the pain I feel because I can never kiss you, or hold you again. And I want to be the one to take that pain away from you." _Ivy, _I tried to choke back my tears.

Suddenly I realized that those weren't sirens that were screeching, they were bats. Before I could blink a whirlwind of bats filled the city, and a thick cloud of them shrouded Ivy's vision.

"Bruce," I exhaled softly, _I'll never forgive you if you let Ivy win. _Thorns tore into my wrists and blood dripped down my arms, Ivy stood and scanned the city. The siren's hair whipped in the small cyclone the bats had created; crossing an arm over her chest she stifled a chuckle.

"Batman thinks he stands a chance," Ivy's demeanor iced over again, "Let's see him save Gotham this time."

* * *

><p><strong>Bruce POV<strong>

* * *

><p>As planned, the bats had temporarily blinded Ivy. Or maybe she was simply analyzing me, and waiting for the opportune time to strike me down. <em>I have to act fast. <em>Oracle had debriefed me on the Cordyceps situation, and given the sheer size of the flower, Gotham had twelve minutes at best. Thunder boomed above of me, my head snapped up to see Clark and Karen fighting. Deep heat-vision caused wounds littered her arms and legs, while a hypnotized Superman wasn't injured at all. Any sort of explosives or aerial weapons would be useless against Clark; if those pollen sacs got so much as scratched they would burst. Magic was out of the question, it would affect Karen as well, and she's the key to the mission's success.

_If I just position myself correctly, _I crept closer to the thick trunk of the flower, Ivy's roots whipped around suspiciously. The bats' sonar had severed most of their telepathic connection, but they were still incredibly dangerous. One direct punch from a Kryptonian would shatter my skull, and most likely decapitate me, and put a permanent to Batman. However, I wasn't walking into this blindly. In the past I had thoroughly researched Superman's patterns, and analyzed Clark's personality and behavior. Since the Hush incident we had inoculated Clark as to avoid this exact situation, but Ivy's pheromones had evolved. Given the fact Lois Lane couldn't simply be delivered to Gotham, and that Ivy most likely suppressed that side of him, this was all I could do.

* * *

><p>Whenever Superman's hypnotized he becomes reckless, cold and irrational,<p>

"Clark," I shouted. Rage filled eyes connected with mine; taunting a murderous Kryptonian under any other circumstance would be beyond idiotic. But if I could count on him being as cautious as a released bull, it would be worth my possible death. Before I could blink he had abandoned Karen and swooped down, his arms coiled around me. _One, two, three four, five, _my ribs broke like splinters under a cement block. I pinched a small transmitter between my fingers, it sent out a frequency only Kryptonians could perceive. Superman released me and growled in pain, his eyes slammed shut and blood trickled out of his ears.

Clark flew up into the air, I ducked before his heat vision could slice me in half, and smirked as the red beams of light severed the gigantic stalk of the flower. The plant groaned for a moment, he inhaled angrily and blew me half across the city. But not before I buried a shard of meteor into his back with my dart gun. My body slammed into the side of a building, _eleven minutes left. _Pain overtook me and I lost consciousness.

* * *

><p><strong>Karen POV<strong>

* * *

><p>Before the flower could collapse I raced over to it and inhaled deeply,<p>

"I'm not done with you!" Kal-El roared behind me. I exhaled and managed to cover the plant in a thin veil of ice to keep it from falling, I turned in time to catch his fist before it could crash into my face. The fiery red faded from his eyes and he suddenly dropped a foot or two. When I caught sight of the blue Kryptonite jutting out of my cousin's back I realized he was losing his powers. My grip tightened just as he lost his flight,

"Hold on Kal," I grabbed his upper arm. Just as I got a better hold of him he socked me in the jaw, _still has his strength, for now. _"I will break your arms if I need to," I hissed.

Once I got him down he had lost his powers completely, until we took that Kryptonite out of course. With one blow I knocked him unconscious, I couldn't leave a ornery Kryptonian, powers or no powers, conscious.

"I was wrong about my estimation. We only have two minutes until the spores explode! Stop wasting your time!" Oracle yelled through my phone-earrings,

"Got it," I left Kal for some Leaguers to take care of. Circling the flower I inhaled as much air as I could before enclosing the plant in any icy prison, but I couldn't stop it from falling anymore.

* * *

><p>Distracted Poison Ivy hadn't realized the swarm of police in Times Square or the fact her flower was collapsing, Selina broke out her binds the second they started to fall. I could either freeze the top of the tower, or catch them both and compromise the entire mission. <em>Damn it. <em>Seconds after I froze the entire thing it shattered against the concrete and left half the City littered with shards of ice. Now on the ground my wounds suddenly caught up with me, my head spun and I rested my hands on my knees. Given how high they had been they were still falling, I could hardly stand. My heart sank, _I can't catch Selina_. Before they could collide with the street Ivy grabbed her by the waist, and rolled herself underneath the black-haired woman. Crawling up on her torn open hands and knees the redhead sneered, "Bullets are useless on me," Ivy grinned, "Didn't you know?"

"Please," Selina breathed once she got to her feet, Ivy recoiled when Selina's fingers brushed over her shoulder, both were deaf to the words that screamed in my mind.

"Shoot her now," an officer growled, "She's distracted."

"What about the civilian?" a marksmen asked, "Shouldn't we wait for Batman to save her?"

"We can't risk Poison Ivy making it out of our city alive." I ran toward the officer with a rifle,

"Wait!" I yelled. But I was too late, the trigger had already been pulled.

* * *

><p><strong>Ivy POV<strong>

* * *

><p>A loud bang ripped through the silence and Selina's body slumped against mine. My arms automatically caught her before she could fall; among the chaos everything went quiet.<p>

"Hey," my head swam with confusion, hot liquid washed over my fingers. My entire body went cold once I caught sight of dark red as it seeped through the front of her jacket."Selina?" I swallowed the lump that burned my throat and carefully settled her on the ground. _No_, my heart clenched painfully, my bloodied hands shook as I cradled her head; her jade eyes warmed into a soft gold when she looked up at me. "Stay with me," I murmured as panic sank in, I kept pressure on the entry wound just below her sternum.

_How could I have let this happen? _Overwhelmed with emotion I turned away from her, "What have you done?!" rage had set fire to my mind. Police lights and helicopter searchlights blinded me; cool, slender fingers trailed down my spine soothingly.

"Don't Ivy, that's enough," her voice was hardly a whisper, but a slight smile pulled at her lips. Regret froze me in place and tears trickled down my cheeks and on hers, _I can't fix this_. Selina's knuckles brushed my jaw and her beautiful eyes traveled across my face, she had stolen away all my oxygen.

* * *

><p>"Selina I-," before I could finish a tranquilizer had pierced my upper arm, I tried to pull her close even though my thoughts were drowning in chemicals.<p>

"Get off her," a policewoman growled and shoved me aside to get to Selina, everything seemed to speed up as the sedative raced into my bloodstream. I tried to sit up, to make sure they were helping her, but as I did another officer trapped my throat under a pronged staff. An electric current flowed through it and a sneer pulled at the man's face,

"Don't tempt me. Stay down." My eyes locked on a stretcher as they lay it beside Selina, I could still see the heave of her chest as she breathed. My heart thundered against my ribs as the paramedics pulled a white blanket over her.

"What are you doing?!" I screamed, "She's still alive!" Just then a dam broke, the chop of helicopter blades, the wail of sirens and the lights of Gotham left me frozen. I grabbed the prongs that were buried in the earth on either side of my throat, the electricity only made the sedative less effective. I threw the staff away, my children shoved away any officer who tried to stop me, but my legs felt heavier the closer I got to the stretcher. "She's isn't dead!" Emotionless paramedics stared at me, handcuffs locked around my wrists as I watched her stop breathing. "She's dying because of you," I sobbed as they carted her into the ambulance. A needle pricked my throat and more drugs were pumped into my veins,

"Time to sleep."

* * *

><p>I didn't care if I ever woke up. Selina had died alone, and I had killed her.<p>

* * *

><p>Time dragged on until I regained consciousness, the chemicals in my system bogged down my thoughts and kept my reflexes sluggish at best. Black trees clawed at the bleached sky, I was shoved out of a containment vehicle and caught by asylum guards. Heavy iron gates groaned as they shut behind me, cold gusts of wind made the thin trees scream as I remembered what hell looked like. <em>Arkham. <em>The asylum grounds were wiped clean of any signs of life, every inch of the place was caught between a shadow and the dark intentions of its inmates.

"Poison Ivy eh?" one guard stated smugly,

"Your little escape made us look like idiots," the other hissed, "Don't think it'll happen again." They continued to push me forward, I snapped out of my haze once we got inside Arkham.

"Did you miss the place?" Angry shouts and miserable sobs rang out from seemingly every direction, and two years worth of memories suddenly resurfaced.

_We are all scum, _I couldn't deny that as they hauled me down the long halls of Arkham. Some inmates jeered and howled once their hollow eyes caught sight of me. Others were more solemn, as if the sight of Poison Ivy being put away drowned their flicker of hope at escape. Her blood burned against my clothes, tears seared behind my eyes but I kept my dignity and hid them from the others. Scarecrow analyzed me coldly as I passed by his cell, Two-Face grinned at me, and sneered. _ We are all scum, but we all belong to Gotham._ The lights buzzed above me as the guards pushed me on, _the earth is dead here._ Soft dirt was suffocated by concrete, sunlight was replaced by florescence, and fresh air was nonexistent. I shivered once I reached my designated cell, frost branched across the cell next to mine.

* * *

><p>The warden had ordered that I be assigned to the darkest, coldest cell in Arkham. I wasn't surprised that they placed me next to Victor. My children were dead and gone, my body felt like an empty husk without their presence. The grey burlap sack of a jumpsuit they had put me in rubbed my skin raw, I decided to sit in the corner and stare at the door. The front wall and door was two-sided glass, I knew the psychologists would be watching, observing me and my insanity<em>. <em>So I wouldn't give them anything to jot down, anger boiled hot inside me, _they treat us all like animals in a zoo. _Alas I didn't have enough energy to lift a finger, let alone control any plant-form, so I let the frustration boil away. Now all I was left with was the cold solitude of regret, the bulb that lit the entire room flickered in and out.

I watched my breath turn into small clouds and tucked my legs underneath me, heat streamed down my cheeks and slapped against the concrete floor. _Selina. _After hours of freezing cold my body tensed up and I couldn't stop shaking. _If I'm going to die it might as well be painful and slow._ I tried to curl up into a ball to stay warm, but nothing I did helped. "CODE RED, THE ASYLUM SECURITY HAS BEEN COMPROMISED. I REPEAT, THE ASYLUM HAS BEEN COMPROMISED," the speaker blared down the halls. Gunfire and crazed laughter bombarded my senses, quick footsteps crept past the cells.

"Mistah J, can we open this cell too?" a familiar voice asked sweetly.

"Shnookums, I'm only here to break out a couple of the boys. I'm not here so you can chat with some old gal-pal of yours," the Joker sneered.

"Get on her good side and I bet she'll be pretty useful to ya,"

"I bet she has no good side," he murmured dryly, "But that'll just make things more _exciting_." A few more gunshots sounded outside of my cell, "Could you get that?"

"Got it," the woman responded happily, she must've had an automatic because shell casings rapidly clattered against the ground.

* * *

><p>The two went quiet as the other inmates cheered, without warning an explosion rocked the asylum. I tried to lift myself off the floor as smoke poured into the room, I looked around to see the floor littered with shards of the door. After a few seconds the two appeared by the entryway, the Joker remained in the hall as the smoke started to clear. His companion wore a red and black harlequin jumpsuit, with a matching jester's cap, which she peeled off as she walked closer.<p>

"Harley?" I croaked as her pigtails bobbed behind her, _since when do you hang out with the Joker?_

"Oh Red," she knelt beside me and pulled me close, the blonde's body felt like fire against my skin.

"Jeez, she looks stone cold dead," the Joker cackled.

"That ain't funny," Harley snapped, everything around me started to blur,

"It wasn't a joke." I felt her grip on me tighten and I shivered,

"We havta get her outta here," panic was obvious in her shrill tone. "Come on Red, we need ya to get up." Everything faded in and out, I could feel them and hear them as they carried me down the halls. Another explosion shook the building,

"Cómo está big guy," the Joker chuckled, "It looks like we need your help." _Why do they need Bane of all people? They take away his Venom every time he's incarcerated._ Just then I felt someone throw me over their shoulder, _oh._

* * *

><p>After a while I felt like I was floating, the only thing that tied me to reality was the chaos unfolding around me.<p>

"That's the last time I break _into _Arkham," the Joker giggled and the sound of helicopter blades filled my mind. "You can drive a stick right?" he asked Bane. "How's the ginger doin?" The sounds around me became warped and muffled, it felt like I had a steamroller on my chest. The cold branched in from my arms and legs before it was too much to take.

"Red?! Mistah J she ain't breathin!" Harley screamed. Everything went silent.

* * *

><p><strong><em>To be continued...<em>**


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